Mountain Xpress 02.26.20 by Mountain Xpress

OUR 26TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 26 NO. 31 FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

Digging into WNC’s truffle farms

Hola Cultural Center opens in Hendersonville

Spice of life

Immigrant chefs shape Asheville’s flavor

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

OUR 26TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 26 NO. 31 FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

C O NT E NT S Digging into WNC’s truffle farms

C O NTAC T US

Hola Cultural Center opens in Hendersonville

Spice of life

Immigrant chefs shape Asheville’s flavor

PAGE 27 FLAVORS FROM AFAR The cuisine of Western North Carolina isn’t strictly limited to Appalachian and Southern fare. The region boasts a wide range of global culinary representation supported by a strong local following. On the cover: Addissae co-owner and chef Neeraj Kebede. COVER PHOTO Hannah Ramirez COVER DESIGN Olivia Urban

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NEWS

11 VOTER GUIDE, PART 3 Q&A with candidates for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, plus state House and Senate

FOOD FARM & GARDEN WELLNESS

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22 HEALTH ROUNDUP Film highlights uninsured WNC residents; Haywood hosts diabetes prevention program; more

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5 LETTERS 5 CARTOON: MOLTON 7 CARTOON: BRENT BROWN 25 FARMING ON FAITH A look at WNC’s truffle-growing underground

10 NEWS 10 BUNCOMBE BEAT 11 VOTER GUIDE 20 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 22 WELLNESS 25 FARM & GARDEN

A&E

33 COMING BACK TO HAUNT YOU Podcast series ‘Palimpsest’ releases its third season

A&E

30 SMALL BITES Mother Ocean Seafood Market opens on Merrimon Avenue

35 FORESEEABLE FUTURE The art of Ishmael is featured at OpenDoors Art Affair fundraiser

27 FOOD 30 SMALL BITES 31 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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OPINION

Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com. STA F F PUBLISHER: Jeff Fobes ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson MANAGING EDITOR: Virginia Daffron A&E EDITOR: Alli Marshall FOOD EDITOR: Gina Smith GREEN SCENE EDITOR: Daniel Walton OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose STAFF REPORTERS: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Laura Hackett, Brooke Randle, Daniel Walton COMMUNITY CALENDAR EDITOR: Deborah Robertson

CARTOO N BY RAN D Y M O L T O N

A tribute to Mike Fryar Buncombe County owes Mike Fryar a huge thank-you for his service of many years as a county commissioner, who personally led the way to save us millions of dollars by doggedly questioning and demanding answers to cost overruns and unlawful spending by county leadership, not only by former County Manager Wanda Greene and friends, but also by A-B Tech’s former leadership. With conflict of interest and unnecessary spending still county issues, we should all hope that at least some county officials will continue to ask questions and demand accountability. Commissioner Mike Fryar will be sorely missed for his perseverance, gentle smile, honesty, hard work and genuine concern for those less fortunate. May he rest in peace. — Janet Burhoe-Jones Swannanoa

Wells will serve county with integrity I usually don’t send letters in, but I’m just thrilled about Terri Wells running for county commissioner! I’ve known Terri for years and worked alongside her on community projects like the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council and our little community center here in Big Sandy Mush. Based on my many experiences collaborating and working with her, I

can say without a doubt that Terri is someone we can all trust to sit at the table with integrity. Terri grew up working the farm with her family, raising crops like tomatoes. They’ve farmed on the same Buncombe County land for generations. Terri deeply loves family farms, the land and Buncombe County. She has been a champion for farmland preservation in our community. This is just one example of how Terri truly walks her talk: Not only does she advocate for farmland preservation, she has placed her own family farm in conservation, preserving it forever. Being raised in a farming family, Terri knows how to work hard. I have seen time and again how she can be counted on to get the work done, and I have no doubt she will work tirelessly to preserve our family farms and the rural character of our county that is so rapidly disappearing. Vote for our farms. Vote for integrity. Vote for Terri Wells. — Tara Adinolfi Ostara Farm/ Leicester Grocery & Garden Leicester

Nelson has worked to preserve farms, forests and land In the Democratic primary race for Buncombe County [Board of Commissioners] in District 1, Nancy Nehls Nelson is a candidate with a proven

Carved Wooden Bench

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OPI N I ON

Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.

record of working to preserve the health and beauty of our farms, forests and natural lands. Our natural environment has sustained our population and economy for scores of generations and attracted thousands of new residents. Twenty-five years from now, I would like to see our ridge tops as majestic as they are now; our valleys home to farms that produce local food; and our water supply intact and protected. I believe that an important part of keeping that economy strong relies on reasonable and smart land use. Endorsed by the Sierra Club, Nancy Nehls Nelson, Democratic candidate for Buncombe County commission in District 1, will work with stakeholders to make that happen. Vote for Nancy Nehls Nelson in the March 3 primary election. — Kieran Roe Asheville

Vote for Wells to support environment If you are wanting to have a positive impact on our global environment, vote for Terri Wells for county commissioner of District 1. She has worked tirelessly nurturing lands and wildlife in the Sandy Mush area through sustainable farming, fostering bees and helping with the American Kestrel Project. She has provided service by working with her rural neighbors as director of community and agricultural programs for WNC Communities. Terri’s vision for the Buncombe area states that she will strive to develop accessible greenways and recreational resources for the health and well-being of the individuals who live there. Terri is also deeply committed to the quality of our education. She has experience working as the program director of the Asheville City Schools Foundation to assist children in poverty. From my personal experience of working with Terri, I know that she is hardworking, knows how to build coalitions and has a solid character. Terri has demonstrated that she has a strong sense of integrity. She is always a stickler for following the rules. I am sure that she will find ways to hold others accountable as well. We would be fortunate to have Terri Wells as our county commissioner of District 1. — Diane A-Akert Leicester Editor’s note: A-Akert reports that she is volunteering with Wells’ campaign. 6

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Make Asheville great again MAGA hats and Confederate flags. I celebrate the conservative right for peacocking their beliefs. Especially when I see it in downtown Asheville. Republicans honor and display their First Amendment rights better than anybody. They wear their politics on their sleeves, belts, bumpers, truck beds, hats and I’m sure in places only their spouses or next of kin get to ever see. And many liberal Democrats hate them for it. It’s called freedom of speech. The media is using this right on a daily basis depicting Democrats as hate-mongering suppressors of our Bill of Rights. The ones I know are not this, but many of them shudder when they see these so-called symbols of hate. How about representing your liberal views with the same amount of vigor as your opposition does? Start wearing hats and belt buckles in masses to create a balance of political beliefs. Global-warming tank tops and round Earth bikini bottoms will fit right in with our town’s fashionistas. And nobody would blink an eye. We’re Asheville, baby! I personally believe the rebel flag should be retired into museums as a relic of the past. But who cares what I think? It’s not a big deal. It’s just my opinion. And the “next of kin” comment is just a joke to stereotype Southerners. I’m a Southerner, and I think it’s funny. So, pet one of your 15 hunting dogs while whittling on the front porch or creep down into your basement to love on your pot plants. Chill. Vote. And enjoy our differences. Being different is what makes Asheville great. — Jeff Bloomer Mills River

Dare to vote Voting can cause some of the greatest stress imaginable. Your vote could mean the difference between life and death for entire countries (Iraq and Afghanistan, for instance) and whether entire races and sexualities get basic civil rights. It could determine whether tens of millions of people get paid enough to live, as well as decide whether the environment will be clean enough to sustain life. This year, voting may even determine if America continues to be a democracy. It’s not surprising many people will rationalize away this anxiety-inducing task, claiming that their vote doesn’t matter. This year the primary for North Carolina and 13 other states is on March 3 — Super Tuesday. These states include gigantic California and Texas, so that

C A R T O O N B Y B R E NT B R O W N about one-third of the U.S. population has a chance to vote that day. This means that Super Tuesday’s results, your vote, may very well decide whether we have candidates who have the wisdom to preserve civilization or send it tumbling into violent, freedom-less, ecologically demolished chaos. Do you have the courage to make the extremely difficult choice? If not, it’s certainly understandable. If so, good luck. — Bill Branyon Asheville

Rethink Xpress voter guide, timing I applaud the efforts of the Mountain Xpress to provide candidate information to those voting. It is so important for everyone to have all the information they need in order to vote for the candidates who align with their values. However, I want to share my concerns about breaking this information into three issues, as that appears to be the case. Those concerns are: Voting is challenging nowadays and especially in North Carolina. With the recent redrawing of districts, the injunction that made needing a valid photo ID to vote in the primary unneeded and other issues, many voters are confused. Everything that can be done to make it easier for people to vote is important. Having a candidates

guide like the Mountain Xpress provides can help address some of that confusion. However, doing a three-part series on candidates requires that each voter compile those issues together in order to have all the information you offer before voting. That requires a concerted effort by each voter to get not just one, but three different issues of the Mountain Xpress to vote. If a voter is able to get all three issues, however, they will lose many of the days they can early vote. The voter would need to wait until Feb. 26 at the earliest to have all the information, with only four days remaining for early voting. Again, I appreciate you providing this information, but I urge you to compile all of this information in one issue and have it available shortly before early voting starts for the upcoming general election in November. In that way, the Mountain Xpress will give voters the benefit of this information on day one of early voting. — Ron Katz Asheville Editor’s note: We appreciate this feedback, which echoes similar concerns raised by other readers. Due to the unusually large field for the U.S. House District 11 race and the shift of Asheville City Council voting to even years that began this election season, it was financially infeasible for Xpress to devote the space needed to cover all of the primary contests in a single print issue. The entire voter guide was available online at avl.mx/6y3 on the afternoon of

Feb. 12, the day before early voting began, and readers were directed to that resource in print, on social media and through our email newsletter. Readers who would like to support our election coverage — and all of our local reporting — can visit supportmountainx.com and become a Mountain Xpress member.

Let Earth Fare’s closing be a boon for local food With the recent news of Earth Fare closing its grocery locations, a contemplation of options arises for many of us. A friend recently pointed out that there are a dozen big-box stores in Asheville alone that sell natural and organic food products. They are: two Whole Foods Market stores; two Earth Fare stores; two The Fresh Market stores; [one] Harris Teeter store; three Aldi supermarkets; and one Trader Joe’s. That’s not counting Ingles, which has incorporated a significant amount of “natural,” organic and health-orientated food in the last number of years. As a general rule, big-box stores are large retail general merchandise, grocery, or specialty stores represented by a national (or international) chain and often found in large shopping centers surrounded by paved parking lots. … It’s no wonder that more than 99% of the money we spend on food leaves the region. MOUNTAINX.COM

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In a 2007 report by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, it was determined that of the $2.2 billion spent on food in Western North Carolina, only $14.5 million was spent on all categories of local food. That’s less than two-thirds of 1%. We can do better than that. When money stays in the community, it circulates through many hands and many businesses, thereby making it exponentially more supportive of local systems. That’s called the multiplier effect. … The multiplier effect says that building the local economy increases wellbeing for everyone and everything in the region. It boosts jobs, pays workers fairer wages, generates revenue for local government, increases living standards and builds community. Specifically, local food movements connect producers to consumers and eliminate the need for energy-intensive processing, travel time and complex distribution systems. When growers and eaters are working together in this way, it helps increase food security and promotes economic viability of the farmers, which then increases the money that stays in our community and provides many ecological and social benefits. The University of Vermont put out a great “Top 10 Reasons to Buy Local Food” list that states: 1. Locally grown food tastes and looks better. 2. Local food is better for you. 3. Local food preserves genetic diversity. 4. Local food is safe. 5. Local food supports local families. 6. Local food builds community. 7. Local food preserves open space. 8. Local food keeps taxes down. 9. Local food benefits the environment and wildlife. 10. Local food is an investment in the future. When we purchase more like 10% of what we collectively eat where we live, we will be on our way to building a more sustainable, regenerative and resilient system, which will be a viable alternative to global and industrial practices. And as we support our local farmers, they will thrive. And as they thrive, they care for the land, strengthen the communities, generate income for themselves and others, produce food for our region and grow their capacity for environmental stewardship, ecological awareness, nature reverence and best land use practices. The news of the closing of all the Earth Fare stores, including the two that many Asheville residents rely on, is actually a wonderful opportunity. Our region, historically renowned for self-reliance and food interdependence, can choose to create the kind of community we desire. It may take some changes in habit, but it all starts with where we spend our dollars. Let’s all make an intention to spend

our dollars locally, at farmers markets, directly on farms, at the local food co-op and at locally owned stores. — Lee Warren Executive director of Organic Growers School Asheville Editor’s note: A longer version of this letter will appear at mountainx.com.

Raise property taxes to fight climate change, improve transit The Sierra Club and other environmental groups worked hard to get the city of Asheville to adopt a 100% renewable energy goal back in 2018. The city has developed plans to expand bus service hours, frequency of service and routes. We are losing our tree canopy and need a plan to rectify that. Addressing these issues has broad community support, and developing these plans was a great first step. But now it is time to begin implementing those goals. That takes funding. We can’t afford to keep waiting to start doing our part to fight climate change. The city has identified $1.5 million in energy conservation and renewable energy projects that can begin as soon as funding is available. Workers in the service sector have no way of getting home on the bus after work because bus service currently stops before they get off of work. Unfortunately, the city’s options are very limited in how it can raise funds. Funding options such as a quarter-cent sales tax would require a countywide vote, which will be difficult to pass. Other options such as a food and beverage tax or reallocating money from the hotel and motel occupancy tax require support from the Republican-controlled General Assembly in Raleigh, which have been unsuccessful. The city can’t issue new bonds until 2022 at the earliest. The only viable option for the next few years is a property tax increase. The Sierra Club supports the proposed 3 cents per $100 property tax increase to fund these badly needed initiatives. The city can pass the property tax this year, and we can start tackling these issues. We can’t afford to keep waiting. — Judy Mattox Chair, WNC Sierra Club Leicester

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Newman, local hoteliers split on occupancy tax changes On the morning of Feb. 18, Jim Muth, executive director of the Asheville Buncombe Hotel Association, was prepared to make a statement that some community members and activists had been waiting to hear for a long time. “Over the past several months, the Hotel Association has been seeking input from the community, as well as our local delegation to the state General Assembly,” read notes written by Muth and shared with Xpress. “I am here tonight to express the Hotel Association’s support for changes to the state law that governs the use of the occupancy tax.” But the statement, which was intended for the Feb. 18 meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, was never made. According to a Feb. 19 email sent to Stephanie Brown, president and CEO of the Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau, and provided to Xpress, Muth said he decided not to speak on the ABHA’s behalf after Commission Chair Brownie Newman indicated that he planned to beat him to the punch. During the Feb. 18 pre-meeting of the board, Newman presented a letter, addressed to Buncombe’s General Assembly delegation, that advocated for reallocation of the county’s occupancy tax funds. State law currently designates 75% of the tax’s revenue for tourism advertising and 25% for tourism-related capital expenditures; Newman’s letter pushed for a 66% to 33% split along the same lines. Newman said that distribution, which would bring the county into conformity with state guidelines for occupancy taxes last revised in 2013, would likely be supported by the N.C. Travel and Tourism Coalition, the statewide organization that advised the General Assembly on the guidelines. That trade group’s support, he said, is likely necessary for any changes to be approved by the legislature. While Muth and Newman agree on the need to shift the revenue allocation, the two differ on how a revised occupancy tax law should allow the nonadvertising piece of the pie to be used. Buncombe’s local ordinance currently limits that spending to tourism-related capital projects. Newman suggested that restriction should be lifted, allowing for nonadvertising funds to be spent on any “tourism-related expenditures.” He said that change, which would further align the local ordinance with state guidelines, could let local governments

BROWNIE NEWMAN spend occupancy tax dollars on community needs such as sidewalk repair and public transportation. In his comments, Muth wrote that the ABHA also supports “expanding the flexibility” of the nonadvertising portion of the revenue. According to Newman, however, the hotel association wants to include specific language in the revised law that would require at least some of the funds to be spent on tourism-related capital expenses, rather than let their use be fully determined by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority board or elected officials. “I’m in agreement that we want to invest in capital and we want to invest in some noncapital uses, but I think that should be decided at the local level,” Newman told Xpress in an interview after the meeting. “Once we put it in the legislation, these things only get changed every five-10 years. If we put it in the legislation, then it limits our options at the community level to decide how the non-advertising funds would be invested over time.” Newman added that he had engaged in informal discussions on the topic with some other commissioners but had not presented his letter until Feb. 18. No other commissioners have formally added their names to the document, but during informal discussion at the board’s premeeting, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara said she “would want to sign on to it,” and Amanda Edwards said she supported many of the points Newman made. “The good news — if you’re someone who wants to see the hotel tax law changed — is that all parties seem to be in agreement,” Newman told Xpress. “They want to see the law changed, but at this point, we’re not on the same page about how to change it.” With additional reporting by Daniel Walton

— Brooke Randle X

NEWS

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Election 2020 Voter Guide

0 20 02 2 20

BUNCOMBE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICTS 2020 Update

Part 3 Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Like a powerful earthquake, the shocks of September’s General Assembly redistricting have reconfigured the fault lines of Buncombe County politics. Due to a 2011 state law, districts for the county Board of Commissioners must match those of Buncombe’s House districts, meaning that all candidates for the board are running with entirely new boundaries. The new District 1 shifted from its previous Asheville-centric incarnation to cover the northwest corner of the county — leaving incumbent Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara outside the lines. Retired project manager Nancy Nehls Nelson and Terri Wells, director of community and agricultural programs for WNC Communities, are now competing for the Democratic nomination to run in the general election against Republican Glenda Weinert. Beach-Ferrara is still running for reelection, but now in her new home of District 2, which encompass-

es most of the county’s eastern half. She will face Republican Anthony Penland, chief of the Swannanoa Fire Department, in the general election; Penland’s erstwhile primary opponent, Commissioner Mike Fryar, died on Feb. 2. Incumbent Joe Belcher remains in the new District 3 that incorporates Buncombe’s southwest, where he stands unopposed in the Republican primary. On the Democratic side, Donna Ensley is taking another run at the board after losing her 2018 bid against Republican Robert Pressley in the previous District 3 by fewer than 700 votes. Her primary opponent is renewable energy professional Parker Sloan, who has not previously run for elected office but has the backing of local leaders such as Sheriff Quentin Miller, Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger and Buncombe County Commission Chair Brownie Newman.

District 1

Nancy Nehls Nelson

Terri Wells

District 2

District 3

Donna Ensley

Anthony Penland

Mike Fryar*

Parker Sloan

*Mike Fryar will appear on the ballot but died on Feb. 2.

OLD DISTRICTS 2015-2019

LEGEND DISTRICT 1 DISTRICT 2

Voting need-to-know

DISTRICT 3

Citizens across Western North Carolina have until Saturday, Feb. 29, to participate in one-stop early voting for the primary election. Those who are not currently registered to vote can register at any early voting site by completing a voter application and providing proof of residence. Any official document that shows the voter’s name and current address is acceptable, including a driver’s license, utility bill or paycheck. See the N.C. State Board of Elections for a full list of valid documents and one-stop voting locations at avl.mx/6y4. Only previously registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots on the primary election day of Tuesday, March 3. Polls are open 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Residents can look up their registration status, see sample ballots and locate their polling place through the state Board of Elections at avl.mx/6nq. Voters registered with a party must vote in that party’s primary, but unaffiliated voters can request any primary ballot. No photo identification is required to vote. Mountain Xpress has compiled Q&A candidate guides for all contested local races in Buncombe County: N.C. Senate Districts 48 and 49, N.C. House District 117 and U.S. House of Representatives District 11, as well as the nonpartisan race for Asheville City Council. Those guides are available online at avl.mx/6y3. Voters can obtain nonpartisan information about candidates for statewide offices through the League of Women Voters at Vote411.org. X

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FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

BUNCOMBE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DISTRICT 1 DISTRICT 3

BUNCOMBE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

THE QUESTIONS What makes Buncombe County home to you?

What do you bring to the Board of Commissioners that other candidates don’t?

What do you see as the greatest specific need for your district compared to the rest of Buncombe County, and how would you propose meeting it? How will you maintain Buncombe County’s quality of life as the region’s population continues to grow?

NANCY NEHLS NELSON

TERRI WELLS

DONNA ENSLEY

Website: N3Buncombe.com Occupation: Retired project manager Previous candidacy or offices held: 2016 and 2018 candidate for Buncombe County Commission District 2 Key endorsements: Karen Cragnolin, founder of RiverLink; Equality NC; WNC Sierra Club Amount of money raised: Approximately $10,000 Top three donors: Available after YE2019 filing due Jan. 31

Website: TerriWellsForCommissioner. com Occupation: Director of community and agricultural Programs for WNC Communities Previous candidacy or offices held: First-time candidate Key endorsements: Equality NC, WNC Sierra Club, farmers, educators and community leaders Amount of money raised: Over $15,000 Top three donors: Sierra Club, Equality NC, farmers, educators and community leaders

Website: ElectDonna.com Occupation: Fundraising consultant Previous candidacy or offices held: 2018 candidate for Buncombe County Commission District 3 Key endorsements: WNC Sierra Club; Jennie Eblen, vice president at Eblen Short Stop Stores; Lynn Kieffer; Kitty Schaller, former executive director of MANNA FoodBank; Bill Sederburg Amount of money raised: Over $19,000 Top three donors: Prefer to not name.

The vitality and energy of our people who bring their perspectives and passions to every day. The beauty of the mountains and rivers and creeks. The silence of the dark night sky. I chose to move here and feel compelled to protect this fascinating place. Our very existence depends on wise use of our land and water. Our economic wellbeing depends on our ability to preserve our treasured way of life and continue to grow in the 21st century. I have extensive project management experience from my past work at AT&T Bell Labs. I am ready to serve the community. I will continue working with the VA Hospital’s IRB; teaching at UNCA OLLI College for Seniors; serving on the county Land Conservation Advisory Board (14 years) and advocating for our people and our environment. I know the challenges faced by our local government. I know where to go for answers on the first day.

As a ninth-generation Buncombe County farmer who has an abiding love for this community, its people, its farms and mountains, my roots are deep. After a little over a decade of living and traveling elsewhere, I was drawn back to these mountains, as so many people are, to make a home and serve our community. I care deeply about this place and want to ensure that it continues to be the place we all want to call home. As a farmer and teacher, I bring values and experience to the commission that no other candidate does. I understand how hardworking and passionate both teachers and farmers are and how committed they are in contributing to our community, despite the challenging economic situations they face. I bring a unique combination of strong work ethic, passion for service, honesty and a track record of responsible stewardship of resources to work on behalf of the people of Buncombe County. High-quality, high-speed, affordable broadband. This is an economic, education, public safety and health care issue. And we want our younger generations to stay in our communities and thrive; they demand better internet service. I was aware of the need in our rural communities (Sandy Mush, Ox Creek, Barnardsville), and knew that Leicester needs much better service. However, constituents in Weaverville and Asheville also report inadequate service. We must do better. In 2020, broadband is a basic utility necessity. I am known for being a good steward and I will implement careful planning and resource management to protect what we love and improve our quality of life. By permitting only the sustainable growth we want and need and conserving our natural assets, we can maintain our character. We must bring people together and have a broad vision that includes strong schools, economic opportunity, improved transportation, high-quality broadband internet, affordable housing, recreational opportunities and conservation of our natural resources. As a commissioner, I would ensure that we provide transparency with our decision-making process, budgets and spending. The county conducted nationwide searches and hired a new county manager and assistant county managers who are experienced and expecting to be held to high standards. I will use my oversight and budget management experience, my stewardship and integrity to ensure that our county commission and our county management are accountable to the people we serve — which is everyone in Buncombe County. I will bring people together to ensure that we proactively work as a community to mitigate the impacts of climate change. We must have a broad vision. In addition to investing in renewable energy, we need to be good stewards of natural resources that help with carbon sequestration by conserving large intact forests and by using soil conservation practices. We must assess best management practices in transportation and planning and provide staff with the tools needed to meet our goals.

I have lived in Buncombe County for 32 years and raised my family here. We are a community that pulls together, donates time and resources to help each other, and we are welcoming. I love our mountains, our great outdoors, our diverse community and our arts and restaurant cuisine. But what makes Buncombe County home to me is the people who live here and the relationships that I have made and hold dear. What sets me apart from my primary opponent is my background spanning over 32 years in Buncombe County in successful strategic planning for growth and budget management. My many decades of community experience have brought residents from various sectors together to problem solve, collaborate and produce positive, successful outcomes. I bring volunteer and professional experience tackling issues related to racism, domestic violence and poverty. I bring to our commission Rotary values of truth, fairness and goodwill. Areas in District 3 that formerly were considered rural are experiencing record growth in small housing tracts and apartments in a very concentrated area with no infrastructure in place to support the increase in people and vehicles. We are straining our schools, emergency services and citizens. I-26 construction will make crowded roads even more impassable. I would propose immediate changes in land use plans requiring new development be considered as part of the whole picture and not as stand-alone projects. We need to prepare now by investing in the infrastructure to support the anticipated growth. Now is a perfect time to engage neighborhoods, municipalities and our rural communities. We should first ask them how they would like to grow and what they would like to look like in 20 years. We should then develop land use plans and infrastructure to support that vision. We must be proactive rather than continue to allow outside developers to shape our future.

I believe the most pressing issue is the lack of consistent, reliable digital infrastructure throughout the county. Emergency personnel have difficulty reaching each other, School Resource Officers (SROs) have varying degrees of success establishing contact from inside schools, and residents can’t always reach 911 in remote parts of the county. This affects commercial and residential growth remote from Asheville. This affects the safety and wellbeing of all citizens, especially our children and our elders. Work hard to establish a single partnership among government, private companies, nonprofits and the TDA. To maintain our quality of life, we need to agree on what we want Buncombe County to look like in 25 years. I believe that overwhelming challenge has not been adequately addressed by those who have the power and the money to conserve what is needed to keep and to change what needs change.

In the wake of the continuing federal corruption investigation, what steps will you take to ensure that county government spending is handled fairly and transparently?

Crisis precipitates change. Trust among county staff, the Board of Commissioners and the public was undermined. The current board has taken bold steps to ensure new checks and balances are robust and that auditing is truly independent. Our new county manager was an excellent first step. I would continue the path they are on.

What actions would you undertake to fight climate change and support the county’s goal of powering all government operations with renewable energy by 2030?

See my response to the quality of life question above. I also would explore partnerships between government and builders, including incentives, in anticipation of new and unique materials and processes being made available to build smarter buildings and homes that could lower the need for more power. Ideally, work from the other end of the issue too, by using federal and state grants to investigate and implement renewable energy sources compatible with our mountainous terrain.

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Nonprofit organizations usually have a CFO that reports to a finance committee that provides monthly oversight of the daily financial activities of the organization. One of the members is the treasurer and is responsible for reporting to the board. In order to ensure our government spending is fair, transparent and regularly observed, I recommend we form a finance committee of financially literate community volunteers to serve our county commission in this advisory, oversight capacity. Incentivize homeowners, businesses and developers to collaborate and to participate in this overarching endeavor. I advocate looking at our transportation networks and ways to help the majority of our citizens reduce their personal carbon footprint. Investing in renewable energy is cost prohibitive for many residents and business owners. I support an aggressive educational effort about reducing and reusing on an individual and collective (schools, churches, businesses) basis. We should continue to fund the county’s renewable energy by 2030 goal.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DISTRICT 3 DISTRICT 2

PARKER SLOAN

ANTHONY PENLAND

Website: ParkerSloanForBuncombe.com Occupation: Senior community and economic development manager, Cypress Creek Renewables Previous candidacy or offices held: Buncombe County Democratic Party vice chair, Buncombe County Planning Board member Key endorsements: Sheriff Quentin Miller; Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger; Commission Chair Brownie Newman; Gene Bell, former director of Asheville Housing Authority; WNC Sierra Club Amount of money raised: $13,500 Top three donors: Mack Pearsall, Brownie Newman, Jess Ingram

Website: AnthonyForDistrict2.org Occupation: Swannanoa fire chief Previous candidacy or offices held: N/A Key endorsements: Jerry VeHaun, Woodfin mayor and retired Buncombe County emergency services director Amount of money raised: $1,850 Top three donors: Edward Harwood, Jerry VeHaun, David Billstrom

Being embraced by the Democratic Party here, earning leadership roles through hard work, meeting my wife, having our son, and with our second child on the way, all these experiences have made Buncombe County my home. It’s also the place of my hopes and dreams for my family’s future. Serving as commissioner is a way for me to work to ensure this community is the place where not just my family but all people can feel at home and thrive. Our greatest need is to plan for responsible growth that provides the affordable housing, climate resiliency, infrastructure and community-building we need while protecting farms, forests and rivers. This need is urgent. I am the candidate who has direct training, skills and experience in county government through my Master’s in Public Administration, which is a degree in county government management, 5+ years on our county Planning Board and as a senior community and economic development manager specializing in renewable energy policy. Well-considered, well-crafted policies that permit only responsible growth that meets our needs and creates housing connected to recreation connected to jobs, schools and other essentials, all serviced by good infrastructure. We can increase quality of life, protect this environment that we cherish and reduce the impacts of poverty on daily life. I am a policymaker, ready to meet this countywide challenge. We must also end the culture of city-county division. We’re all in this together and will accomplish more together. I think we need to recognize not just the need to maintain quality of life, but also the need to improve quality of life for the many children and adults living in poverty and facing food insecurity, as well as people above poverty but financially and emotionally stretched by the high cost of living, which includes people of all ages and backgrounds. Sound, innovative planning can be the foundation of maintaining and improving quality of life for everyone in Buncombe.

Buncombe County is my lifelong home. As a public servant for 30 years, I have taken risks for others and dedicated my life to the safety of our community. This type of service builds a special bond with people during their time of crisis. Home is that place where we should feel safe and well protected, and I am sure what makes this home to me is what makes it home to most citizens.

Every commissioner must demonstrate integrity, transparency and an ability to provide professional oversight of budgets and staff. I will apply my training and experience in managing county government spending, including a Master’s in Public Administration from WCU, the degree we typically require of people we hire to manage and lead our counties. Personally, I will work to restore the integrity of our commission and our government through fair and transparent dealings as a commissioner and while supervising our county manager. Redirect the millions per year our county government spends annually on fossil fuel electricity into installing solar for our city and county schools and A-B Tech and investing in energy efficiency improvements; promote the county to take a leadership role in helping transition other public sector organizations (city of Asheville, MSD, Asheville Airport, volunteer fire districts, other municipalities); bring people together to plan and launch a specific communitywide 100% renewable plan. Please see my website for more details.

My career has been a mix of personnel management, budget planning, labor law, nonprofit operations and even serving on legislative committees. While other candidates may have similar aspects, none have been putting those skills to use every day while responding to emergencies in our community. Commissioners should be managers first and foremost to serve the people and to be a leader who responds well during crisis and a leader who keeps us out of crisis.

MIKE FRYAR DISTRICT 2 Mike Fryar will appear on the ballot but died on Feb. 2.

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Look left, look right, look ahead, and we see change all over Buncombe County. Barnardsville, East Asheville, Oakley, Reynolds, Fairview, Swannanoa, Black Mountain — all changing. Some change brings concerns that we will lose the home feel we have grown to love. A building comes down, a field disappears, and something else rises up. While Swannanoa is excited to see changes coming to the Beacon lot, every community has this constant sway of worry and excitement. What keeps our citizens in Buncombe County is the same thing that will entice others to come: the beauty of our mountains. We know that growth is going to occur and we have to be prepared. Making sure that the infrastructure is in place to accommodate the growth and that we protect what has been given us. We need to be proactive, not reactive, while maintaining those special items that make us proud to call Buncombe County home. North Carolina General Statute 143 Article 33C sets the rules for public body meetings. All business and expenditures coming before the commission should and will be conducted out in the open, unless said business is bound under GS 143-318.11 that permits a closed session. Transparency is a must.

I think we should be careful on any label attached to a project. Advertisers and marketers have learned that labeling a product “environmentally friendly” sells. I want to examine every possibility so that we may have a positive impact on protecting our environment while also remaining cost-effective. Powering our county buildings should bring a cost savings to our citizens, not a burden. My platform of “Focus on our Future” is inclusive of applying commonsense protection to our environment.

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by Xpress Staff

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Voter Guide N.C. Senate – District 48 As incumbent Republican Sen. Chuck Edwards proceeds unchallenged toward November’s general election, a three-way race has emerged to determine his Democratic challenger. Mills River Mayor Pro Tem Brian Caskey, behavioral technician Cristal Figueroa and entrepreneur Najah Underwood each seek to represent Senate District 48, which was redrawn in September to include much of eastern Buncombe County in addition to Henderson and Transylvania counties. Caskey touts his election as Mills River’s only Democratic leader as proof that he can build bridges with conservative voters in a district that still leans Republican even after last year’s redistricting. The only candidate with previous political experience, he was also the race’s fundraising leader at the time of the

Xpress questionnaire, with a more than $18,000 lead over Figueroa. Both Caskey and Figueroa identify transportation infrastructure upgrades as key to managing Western North Carolina’s rapid population growth, but they disagree about District 48’s greatest specific need. Caskey is focused on Medicaid expansion, while Figueroa, who identifies as Mexican American, is most concerned by Henderson County’s partnership with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement through the 287(g) program. And Underwood, an African American millennial, is focusing her campaign on equality. She calls nondiscrimination in government policies her highest priority and hopes to improve life for low-income households through higher wages and greater spending on social programs.

N.C. SENATE DISTRICTS 2020 Update

OLD DISTRICTS 2019

District 48

Brian Caskey

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MOUNTAINX.COM

Cristal Figueroa

Najah Underwood

N.C. SENATE – DISTRICT 48 – DEMOCRATIC

BRIAN CASKEY

CRISTAL FIGUEROA

NAJAH UNDERWOOD

Website: BrianCaskey.com Occupation: Small-business owner (Biltmore Tutoring in South Asheville) Previous candidacy or offices held: Current mayor pro tem in Mills River (elected 2017) Key endorsements: Did not respond Amount of money raised: $23,000 Top three donors: I have refused all corporate PAC money and accept individual donations only.

Website: FigueroaForNCSenate2020. com Occupation: Behavioral technician Previous candidacy or offices held: N/A Key endorsements: Western North Carolina Central Labor Council/AFL-CIO Amount of money raised: $4,559 Top three donors: Joel Salgado, David Thomas, Luis Eguiarte

Website: NajahUnderwoodForSenate. NationBuilder.com Occupation: Entrepreneur/ caregiver Previous candidacy or offices held: N/A Key endorsements: None Amount of money raised: $600 Top three donors: Najah Underwood

What makes Western North Carolina home to you?

My ancestors were among the earliest colonists to settle in Western North Carolina, in Ashe County. My parents and grandparents moved to Florida in the 1960s to take jobs in the aerospace industry. I spent many childhood summers in WNC, and after finishing college, moving here was a very natural thing to do. We’ve been here for 24 years now, half my life. My family lived in eastern Buncombe for about 15 years, and we now reside in Mills River.

I was born, raised and educated here. Western North Carolina has made me who I am today. I am a daughter of Henderson County. My father used to pick apples in Hendersonville and plant tomatoes in Marion. I am a proud alumna of UNC Asheville. I have been afforded great opportunity in WNC and I want to make sure that generations to come have the same.

What makes WNC home for me are the mountains, the people and the hospitality. This is the only place where the seasons bring an overwhelming sense of magic every season.

What do you bring to the General Assembly that other candidates don’t?

I bring life experience and much-needed expertise to the General Assembly. Those have both been missing in recent years. I have a BS in biology from Stetson University and a masters degree from UNCW, I’ve spent 20 years working in the corporate world as a systems manager, and I’m now a small-business owner and educator. I bring honesty, integrity, persistence, relentless energy and an independent spirit to a body that could use a lot more of those things.

A different perspective on pressing issues. As a Mexican American millennial woman who is not independently wealthy, I understand the struggles the average North Carolinian faces because I face them too. I work multiple jobs, I understand how our current immigration system impacts families and individuals, I have student loan debt, and I am working toward becoming a homeowner. It’s time that officials in Raleigh represent the communities they come from and not the corporate interests that line their pockets.

I am a millennial with values of equality and passion to encourage others to think of our government not as a job or a career, but a moral obligation and civil duty to enhance the country to be better every single day. Everyday citizens need to be in office fighting for individuals that this system is designed to be against.

What do you see as the greatest specific need for your district compared to the rest of WNC, and how would you propose meeting it?

This district would benefit tremendously from Medicaid expansion. We are already paying for it with our federal taxes, but that money is going to other states, like California and New York. By expanding eligibility, we would take back $4.7 billion from the federal government, allow 635,000 of our working poor to enjoy health coverage, stimulate business activity and create 37,000 jobs. Most of those jobs would be created in six counties (including Buncombe).

Henderson County is one of only four counties in the state that participate in the 287(g) program (a partnership between the Henderson County Sheriff and ICE). It breeds distrust between our immigrant community and local law enforcement. It tears families apart and negatively impacts our local economy. I would fight to end the 287(g) program in North Carolina.

The greatest need in WNC is the ability for policies to be nondiscriminatory. We need to face the truth and break down barriers for low-income households, raise wages and demand better corporate responsibility for employees.

If nominated, how will you work to win voters in a district that independent observers have said still leans Republican?

I’m the first Democrat ever elected to the Town Council in Mills River. As the only Democrat on that board — and that’s a common theme in my committee work — I am well known for working across the aisle, being reasonable and getting things done. I would credit that work ethic for my unanimous election as mayor pro tem by the Mills River Town Council. I never sacrifice my values, but I’m proof that Republicans and Democrats can work together.

The fact of the matter is that no matter what side of the political aisle you stand on, you want what is best for your children, yourself and your community. I would show voters that I am willing to fight for what is best for everyone. We have far more in common than many would like us to believe. It’s time to move past the political divide and do what is right for the people of this great state.

I will work to win voters in my district by reaching across the aisle and getting the red vote. Republicans in this district have common issues we agree on that need to be addressed. In addition, I will advocate for individuals to get out and vote and register new voters.

In what ways can the state support the rapid population growth taking place in WNC?

Population growth in N.C. has outpaced that of the rest of the U.S. in each year since 1970. However, the state is not investing as it should in mass transit, light rail, education, health care and infrastructure. We must be forward-thinking and proactive instead of reactive, planning for and adapting to the inevitable growth rather than acting surprised when it occurs. It’s time to build a better, stronger North Carolina, and people are tired of watching this legislature fail.

Investments in infrastructure. We need to start thinking outside of the box regarding transportation in WNC. While the widening of I-26 will alleviate some congestion between Asheville and Hendersonville, we could explore other options. For instance, there are railroad tracks that are going unused. Let’s explore the option of creating a light rail system to connect the two cities. Not only will it help with commutes, it is also more environmentally friendly.

The ways to support rapid population growth would be through promoting family planning, enhancing our education systems, providing attainable housing and decreasing infant and maternal mortality rates.

How will you contribute to resolving a state budget process that has proven highly contentious in recent years?

The budget is contentious because the goals of the majority party in Raleigh are to create jobs by infusing massive amounts of public tax dollars into already profitable corporations! The “yes men” in the legislature are enriching corporate CEOs and denying critical funding to education, environmental protections and health care. “Trickle-down theory” is a myth, as increased corporate tax cuts have led, inevitably, to a slowing job market. It’s time to use the budget to invest in things that really matter.

By passing it. Republicans have proven that the only reason they are not voting on the budget is because too many representatives are present. They are undermining the democratic process. If we can flip the Senate, I pledge to vote yes on the budget that sits before the Senate.

I will advocate using a method that will boost government spending for employment benefits, infrastructure, education and health care. In doing so, I will promote reallocation of money and policies to effectively and fairly break down barriers of the economic effects from the previous budget.

N.C. SENATE – DISTRICT 48

THE QUESTIONS

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

N EWS

by Xpress Staff

news@mountainx.com

Voter Guide

N.C. SENATE DISTRICTS 2020 Update

N.C. Senate – District 49 For the first time in more than two decades, no hopefuls for the N.C. Senate District 49 seat will be running against an incumbent. Democratic Sen. Terry Van Duyn is instead shooting to become the state’s next lieutenant governor, creating a vacuum that three of her party colleagues hope to fill. Van Duyn’s chosen successor is Asheville City Council member Julie Mayfield. As newly redrawn in September, District 49 now includes the entirety of Asheville city limits, giving Mayfield a strong base of previous supporters — including Mayor Esther Manheimer — on which to base her run. Mayfield’s war chest also stood at over $81,000 at the time of the Xpress questionnaire, with support from wealthy

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

donors such as Mack Pearsall and Fred Stanback. Mayfield’s most vocal critic in the race is attorney Ben Scales, who has previously mounted two campaigns for Buncombe County district attorney: Last June, he blasted Mayfield for her deciding vote to allow the conversion of the Flatiron Building into a boutique hotel. Scales’ own platform includes legalization of medical marijuana and new wealth taxes to fund education, health care and environmental reforms. Rounding out the field is IT manager and political newcomer Travis Smith. The only candidate to identify as a “progressive Democrat,” Smith advocates for Medicaid expansion, expanded public school funding and a carbon fee and dividend as a means to combat climate change.

MOUNTAINX.COM

OLD DISTRICTS 2019

District 49

Julie Mayfield

Ben Scales

Travis Smith

N.C. SENATE – DISTRICT 49 – DEMOCRATIC

JULIE MAYFIELD Website: MayfieldForNCSenate.com Occupation: Co-director at MountainTrue, Asheville City Council member Previous candidacy or offices held: Asheville City

N.C. SENATE – DISTRICT 49

THE QUESTIONS

Council member Key endorsements: N.C. District 49 Sen. Terry Van Duyn, Mayor Esther Manheimer, WNC Sierra Club, Lillian’s List, Equality NC Amount of money raised: $81,600 as of Jan. 19 Top three donors: Mack Pearsall, Fred Stanback, Richard Wasch

BEN SCALES

TRAVIS SMITH

Website: ScalesForSenate.com Occupation: Attorney/musician Previous candidacy or offices held: Candidate for Buncombe County district attorney in 2014 and 2018 Key endorsements: North Carolina AFL-CIO; Asheville Firefighters Association IAAF Local 332; Asheville City Council member Brian Haynes; Keynon Lake, author, activist and founder of My Daddy Taught Me That; Paige Smith Duft, educator Amount of money raised: $25,000 Top three donors: Ben Scales, Ann Beauchesne, Dean Cannon

Website: TravisSmithNC.com Occupation: IT manager, systems analyst Previous candidacy or offices held: N/A Key endorsements: Equality NC; Dr. Michael Hill, Asheville School instructor and 4X4 for Wild Native Plantings co-founder; Rebecca Lance, chair of the West End Clingman Avenue Neighborhood board; Ben Harper, Asheville Tool Library co-founder and Community Roots board member Amount of money raised: $40,000 Top three donors: Self, individuals

What makes Western North Carolina home to you?

I moved to WNC to enjoy the vibrancy of Asheville, the progressive politics and the beautiful natural environment. WNC is also my mother’s childhood home, and I am connected with family and land here. Having lived here for 11 years, I also now love the engaged community and the myriad of people — many of whom are volunteers — who work hard every day to make our city and region more sustainable, more equitable and more resilient.

My family has lived in Asheville since 2002. My wife, Cate, and I have raised three children here, and our youngest child was born here. I’ve involved myself heavily in our community as a volunteer and activist, from producing the Montford Music and Arts Festival, to serving as president of the Isaac Dickson PTO and the Preservation Society, to serving as a Big Brother to a young man in a single-parent home, to representing domestic violence victims pro bono.

My wife and I had our first child at Mission Hospital last year! WNC is certainly home to us. I’m a dedicated and active member of our community. I’m a board member for both Asheville-Buncombe Crime Stoppers and the Asheville Tool Library. I’m also a congressional liaison with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, pressing Congress for action on climate change. We’re 40 years late, but better late than never. We need a price on carbon pollution now!

What do you bring to the General Assembly that other candidates don’t?

I know this job and can hit the ground running. I bring over 25 years of policy advocacy experience, mostly at the state level. I have written and negotiated bill language, testified at legislative hearings, lobbied extensively and worked closely with both Democrats and Republicans to achieve my policy objectives. I have strong working relationships with the 15-member WNC state delegation, Gov. Cooper’s staff, Department of Environmental Quality staff and several statewide advocacy organizations.

A dedication to service over self and a history of standing up for the powerless against the forces of oppression. I’ve represented pro bono activists from Occupy Asheville, Black Lives Matter and the Sunrise Movement, helping them speak truth to power. I’ve drafted legislation to create a comprehensive medical cannabis system that has been introduced into the General Assembly eight times, and I’ve traveled to Raleigh many times to lobby for it, all at my own expense.

As a progressive Democrat, we have a lot of work to do in North Carolina! Over the last three months, I’ve knocked on thousands of doors all over our district. I have the drive and determination to get the solutions we need in N.C.: 1) Support for our public schools and teachers 2) Immediate action on climate change 3) Medicaid expansion 4) Raise our minimum wage 5) Legalize and tax cannabis 6) Expand LGBTQ and minority rights.

What do you see as the greatest specific need for your district compared to the rest of WNC, and how would you propose meeting it?

I think District 49’s greatest specific need is to address affordability. Asheville is already unaffordable for too many, and the county is going that way as well. On the income side, we need to raise the state minimum wage and enable local governments to enact living wage laws. On the cost-of-living side, we need more state funding for transit, to expand Medicaid and local authority to require affordable housing as part of new developments (aka inclusionary zoning).

We need to change the way the hotel occupancy tax is administered in Buncombe County. Currently, by state law, it is administered by an appointed board composed primarily of hoteliers. That board can only use the funds for either advertising the tourism industry or for projects designed to “significantly increase” hotel occupancy. That law needs to be changed so that that tax revenue is administered in a way that benefits all of the people of Buncombe County and not just the hotel industry.

We need more funding for infrastructure, services and affordable housing. Our occupancy tax in Buncombe County should be helping us more with this, but it’s not. We’re getting lots of money from our tourists, but there is a state law from the 1980s that is forcing us to spend 75% of this revenue on advertising. I want to change this in our Senate. Our city and county should be in control of our occupancy tax, not Raleigh!

How will you protect Asheville’s interests in a General Assembly that is often viewed as hostile to the city?

My working relationships with the WNC delegation, especially the Republicans, should help cool this historic hostility and, I hope, make progress for Asheville possible. Similarly, my relationships with Mayor Manheimer and other City Council members, and my experience on council, give me a unique ability to broker conversations with legislators. One doesn’t just waltz into the Senate and begin making deals without these relationships — especially as a Democrat — and they set me apart from the other candidates.

Before moving to Asheville, I was involved in the settlement of an international civil case over an estate valued at $1 billion. When the case began, the parties’ positions were so far apart, their lawyers couldn’t even be in the same room. Over 18 months of negotiation, a truly global settlement was reached. I believe that I can use the lessons learned over my career to reach common ground with my colleagues in the General Assembly.

We are all shellshocked, having just witnessed a decade of Republican lies, corruption and cheating in Raleigh. They have been hostile to all cities in our state, and it is crucial that all Democrats take action next November by voting! With a Democratic majority in the General Assembly, I am certain our interests can be pursued. For starters, we need more funding for public schools, Medicaid expanded, action on climate change from Duke Energy and our minimum wage increased.

In what ways can the state support the rapid population growth taking place in WNC?

The state can invest more in our region, from disaster and climate resiliency planning to transit and affordable housing to Medicaid expansion and public education, including early childhood education. The state can also incentivize and invest more in clean energy to ensure we do not need any more fossil fuel plants. And the state can give local governments authority to generate new revenue and to adopt variable tax rates for different residents (e.g., second homeowners versus longtime residents).

This is one issue the Green New Deal can address, with policies to create green-sector jobs at a living wage in growing communities. The state can get out of the way of city and county governments and stop trying to micromanage those governments, because those local leaders are closer to the problems at home and understand them better than anyone in Raleigh. And the state can make sure local needs, such as education, transit and environmental regulation, are met.

Our schools need more funding, and we need to expand pre-K services to support families. We need better funding for our infrastructure projects. We need support to upgrade our existing infrastructure and execute smart growth projects into the future. This includes our water, sewer, stormwater and transportation infrastructure. Our state funding should help us execute ambitious plans for public transportation growth with smart affordable housing programs!

How will you contribute to resolving a state budget process that has proven highly contentious in recent years?

The fact that this has not yet been resolved despite there being a widely supported, bipartisan Medicaid proposal perhaps means no one can resolve it. I would seek to at least unite our WNC delegation behind the bipartisan proposal so that we could speak with one strong voice to the leadership of both chambers. I would also support independent redistricting after the 2020 census to increase the chances of Democrats retaking the majority so the legislature can return to work.

I will present legislation that will lead to new revenue streams to pay for the new expenditures for which I’ll be asking. Conservative estimates show that my cannabis law reform proposals could bring in over $600 million in new tax revenue, as well as jobs and cost savings for criminal justice. The new taxes I’ll propose on wealth and inheritance on the ultrarich will also add to our public coffers, allowing investment in education, health care and the environment.

It is my hope and desire that we Democrats can take a majority in the General Assembly. I want to work to implement smart and fair laws for our state. Gov. Cooper has been our saving grace, as we’ve been able to temper the total power that Republicans held under Gov. McCrory. As a result, Republicans have resorted to lies and tricks, trying to hold surprise voting sessions to pass their unreasonable budget. We must defend our democracy!

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

N EWS

by Xpress Staff

news@mountainx.com

Voter Guide N.C. House of Representatives – District 117 After five terms representing northern Henderson County, Rep. Chuck McGrady will give someone else a chance at his District 117 seat. In May, the influential Republican announced that he wouldn’t seek reelection so he could spend more time with his family and the Western North Carolina mountains. On the Republican side of the ballot, former Rep. Tim Moffitt, who served Buncombe County’s District 116 before losing to Democrat Brian Turner in 2014, faces off against self-employed Uber driver Dennis Justice. Moffitt did not submit responses to the Xpress candidate guide, but on his campaign website, he features his previous work on “government oversight, private

property rights, regulatory reform and tax policy.” Justice, who has previously run for the Henderson County school board, Henderson County Board of Commissioners and state House, identifies rural fiber internet access as a major policy goal. He also advocates for the construction of a concrete dome arena at the WNC Ag Center for both economic development and emergency management benefits. Although two names will appear on the Democratic ballot, Danaé Aicher announced in January that she was dropping out of the race. She has lent her backing to the remaining Democrat in the race, Josh Remillard, a first-time candidate who works as a quality assurance specialist for Gaia Herbs. X

N.C. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICTS 2020 Update

District 117

Josh Remillard

Danaé Aicher*

Dennis Justice

Tim Moffitt

*Danaé Aicher will appear on the ballot but has dropped out of the race.

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

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N.C. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – DISTRICT 117 REPUBLICAN DEMOCRATIC

JOSH REMILLARD

DENNIS JUSTICE

Website: JoshRemillard.com Occupation: Quality assurance specialist, Gaia Herbs Previous candidacy or offices held: None Key endorsements: Danaé Aicher, Henderson County Democratic Party Amount of money raised: $4,015 Top three donors: Gladys Remillard, Thomas Leonard, Jim Fawks

Website: DennisJustice.com Occupation: Self-employed (Uber) Previous candidacy or offices held: I ran for state Senate four years ago, County Commission twice, Mayor of Fletcher once and Board of Education a few times. Key endorsements: I am not seeking endorsements now. Amount of money raised: Under $300 Top three donors: I am self-financed and will not accept more than $99 in a primary from anyone else outside of family.

Western North Carolina is gorgeous. I wake up in the morning to go to work, and there’s a mountain right outside my door. On my way to work, I get to enjoy a beautiful sunrise. More than that, I have never met more caring, giving and supportive people.

I have lived in Henderson County for 40 years, ever since my parents divorced, but have had family roots from both sides of my family for many generations. It is where I want to leave an inheritance for my children’s children. Driving for Uber has shown me things about the area that even I didn’t know after all these years, still learning new things every day.

I bring cross-aisle appeal. My primary goal is relationship building, through trust, to take collective action. Additionally, I bring a fundamental understanding of the purpose of government and politicians with a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy. Regarding the issues concerning our area, I start from a point of curiosity: a willingness to investigate the issues from all angles to discover appropriate solutions. The Army instilled in me a mission-first mindset, keeping me focused on what’s important.

I’m by far the most independent-minded conservative candidate. My start in politics was with United We Stand America, and I’m not for sale at any price. I have a master’s degree in sports management and I’m irreplaceable in terms of writing laws on the likely expansion of gambling in this state. I want funds only for local parks to fight our 33% adult obesity rate (15% of high school students). Both parties look at the issue from a greed standpoint.

What do you see as the greatest specific need for your district compared to the rest of WNC, and how would you propose meeting it?

I see health care being the greatest specific need for our district because our community largely consists of people that are of retirement age and those that are aging. I would vote to expand Medicaid. Also, if people are able to pay their hospital bills, then our rural hospitals would not have to worry about closing down due to having to foot the bill for aid administered.

The WNC Ag Center needs to be incorporated in any future regional emergency management plans. Fiber internet needs to be in every building, helping event promoters as well. I previously advocated for a concrete dome arena there and got nothing but excuses from state leaders, while local “leaders” gave the Carolina Panthers $87.5 million of Charlotte taxpayer money. A smaller dome arena rescues people evacuating the coast from a hurricane and benefits the working class who make Henderson County run.

Retiring Rep. Chuck McGrady was known for his bipartisanship and strong environmental leadership. How will you respond to that legacy if elected?

Rep. Chuck McGrady is considered a centrist/moderate; with me you get the same thing, only as a Democrat. Building strong relationships through fostering trust is important to me. This has always been my belief, whether it was accomplishing missions with my fellow service members or Iraqi counterparts. Protecting our agricultural industry is a high priority, as it is the lifeblood of WNC and Henderson County in particular. To that end, it’s my mission to safeguard our environment.

What about the legacies of Larry and Carolyn Justus?! (I’m saying that just to tweak Mr. McGrady and honor his predecessors.) The seat belongs to taxpayers, not one politician or party. Nevertheless, I have a long history of independent thinking. I was the only Henderson County Republican to publicly and correctly oppose the “marriage amendment” and call for its removal. I have also been a longtime advocate for environmentally friendly concrete domes for affordable housing, school buildings and recreation centers.

In what ways can the state support the rapid population growth taking place in WNC?

We achieve the protection of our agricultural industry through mass transit, as it significantly reduces our carbon footprint. Additionally, mass transit permits people to be more mobile, mitigating rapid population growth.

Repave and repair road and maintain infrastructure now. Debt-free projects by saving money for projects now and not put our children in debt with long-term bonds. I advocate buying land in the region now for a much closer mental hospital and save money for it over 10 years. I advocate a state-wide public utility to put fiber Internet in every home, starting in the rural counties. This keeps populations more spread out and not just focused on big cities.

How will you contribute to resolving a state budget process that has proven highly contentious in recent years?

Through building strong relationships, I could sit with my counterparts to listen to their concerns, compromise and negotiate. My more direct approach would be to engage the finance committee and the rules committee and see not only what money we have that we can put into other necessary programs, but also whether some of our rules regarding policy creation are good or need to be overhauled.

The Republicans could’ve won it all in 2016 to prevent this and blew it. Republicans couldn’t retain the governor’s mansion despite Donald Trump winning this state by over 3%. There’s more independents than Republicans in North Carolina and Henderson County. Just enough refused to vote for Pat McCrory to cost us that race. Had the Republicans backed off the “bathroom bill,” which South Carolina Republicans did and I suggested when I ran for state Senate, we would’ve won it all.

N.C. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – DISTRICT 117

THE QUESTIONS What makes Western North Carolina home to you?

What do you bring to the General Assembly that other candidates don’t?

TIM MOFFITT Website: TimMoffitt.com Occupation: Search and management consultant, real estate broker Previous candidacy or offices held: N.C. Rep. District 116, 2011-14 Key endorsements: Did not respond. Amount of money raised: Did not respond. Top three donors: Did not respond.

Tim Moffitt did not provide responses by Xpress’s deadline.

DANAÉ AICHER Democratic Danaé Aicher will appear on the ballot but has dropped out of the race.

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Sustainability Series

April 1, 8, 15 and 22

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FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

COMMUNITY CALENDAR FEB. 26 - MAR. 5, 2020

CALENDAR GUIDELINES For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, ext. 137. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, ext. 320.

ACTIVISM CITIZENS-POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 5pm - Citizens-Police Advisory Committee meeting. Free. Meets in the 1st Floor Conference Room. Held at Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St. MOMS DEMAND ACTION ASHEVILLE • 1st MONDAYS, 6-7pm - Non-partisan group educating and advocating for stricter gun safety laws. Free to attend. Held at The BLOCK off biltmore, 39 S. Market St. SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE • TUESDAYS, 10amnoon - Educating and organizing white people for racial justice. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road VETERANS FOR PEACE • TUESDAYS, 5pm Weekly peace vigil. Free. Held at Vance Monument, 1 Pack Square

BENEFITS 2020 ART AFFAIR • SA (2/29), 7pm - Proceeds from the Art Affair gala with live art auction benefit OpenDoors of Asheville. $125/$175 VIP. Held at The Venue, 21 North Market St. CHILLY CHALLENGE • SA (2/29), 10am-2pm - Proceeds from the 8th annual Chilly Challenge 8K Race and 1-Mile Fun Run and Chili Cook-off benefit North Buncombe Middle School. Registration: chillychallenge.com. $40/$25 students. Held at North Buncombe Middle School, 51 N.

Buncombe School Road, Weaverville LAKE LURE BOOKS & BITES • TH (3/5), 11am - Proceeds from this luncheon with presentation by author Colleen Oakley benefit the Mountains Branch Library. Tickets: 828-287-6392. $25. Held at Lake Lure Inn and Spa, 2771 Memorial Highway, Lake Lure NOBLE CIDER AND GIRLS ON THE RUN CHILI COOKOFF • SU (3/1), 3-5pm Proceeds from this chili cook off and tasting benefit Girls on the Run. $10 tasting tickets/$15 entries. Held at Noble Cider, 356 New Leicester Highway PANCAKE BENEFIT FOR HOMINY VALLEY CRISIS MINISTRY • SA (2/29), 8-10am - Proceeds from this pancake breakfast benefit the Hominy Valley Crisis Ministry. $10. Held at Fatz Cafe, 5 Spartan Ave. PINBALL EXTRAVAGANZA • SU (3/1), 6-9pm Proceeds from this evening of pinball playing with prizes and food benefit Camplify. Tickets: camplifync.org. $40 per couple/$60 family of four. Held at Appalachian Pinball Museum, 538 N. Main St., Hendersonville PISGAH TROUT UNLIMITED 50TH ANNIVERSARY • SA (2/29), 6pm Proceeds from this 50th anniversary dinner celebration with keynote speech, live and silent auctions benefit Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Registration: pisgahtu.org/fifty. $50/$75 per couple. Held at The Barn at Tall Oaks, 28 Bradley Road, Hendersonville

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY A-B TECH SMALL BUSINESS CENTER 1465 Sand Hill Road, Candler, 828-398-7950, abtech.edu/sbc • TH (2/27), 9-11am - Understanding and Harnessing Your Business' Cash Flow, seminar. Registration required. Free. • SA (2/29), 9am-noon - How to Create a Transformative Business and Wow Your Customers, seminar. Registration required. Free. • SA (2/29), 9am-noon - SCORE: Business Model Canvas, seminar. Registration required. Free. • TH (3/5), 9-11am - Deep Dive Lab: How to be an Outstanding Leader, seminar. Registration required. Free. • TH (3/5), 9-11am - Deep Dive Lab: How to be an Outstanding Leader, seminar. Registration required. Free. • TH (3/5), 3-5pm Entrepreneur’s Guide to Bridging the Digital Divide, seminar. Registration required. Free. FLETCHER AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION • 4th THURSDAYS, 11:30-noon - General meeting. Free. Held at YMCA Mission Pardee Health Campus, 2775 Hendersonville Road, Arden SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE MODIFICATIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE (SAMI) TRAINING • TH (2/27), 1-5pm SAMI session 2 includes entry solutions, kitchen options and the dangers of code compliant solutions. Registration: avl.mx/6uy. Free. Held at Goodwill Career Training Center, 1616 Patton Ave. TAKING THE LEAP ASHEVILLE • TUESDAYS through (3/10), 6-8pm - Taking The Leap Asheville, four week long cohort regarding the different aspects of starting a business. Sponsored by SBTDC of WNC. Registration required. Registration: bit.ly/2Orhsxh. Free.

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Held at The Collider, 1 Haywood St., Suite 401

CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS EMPYREAN ARTS CLASSES (PD.) Aerial Flexibility on Mondays 6:15pm, Wednesdays 6:15pm, and Saturdays 1:00pm. Self Care on Sundays 2:15pm and Mondays 7:30pm. Aerial Chill & Restore on Wednesdays 7:30pm. Intro to Handstands on Thursdays 7:45pm. Intro to Partner Acrobatics on Sundays 6:30pm. empyreanarts. org. 828.782.3321 TAOIST TAI CHI CLASSES BEGIN MARCH 3&5 (PD.) West Asheville: St George's Episcopal Church, 1 School Rd., Tuesdays 10-11:30am, Thursdays 10-11:30am. East Asheville: 15 Overbrook Pl., Tuesdays 5:30-7pm, Thursdays 5:30-7pm. Weaverville: Ox Creek Community Center, 346 Ox Creek Road, Thursdays 9-10:30am. asheville.nc@ taoisttaichi.org. ASHEVILLE ROTARY CLUB • THURSDAYS, noon-1:30pm - General meeting. Free. Held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St. ASHEVILLE SUBMARINE VETERANS • 1st TUESDAYS, 6-7pm - Social meeting for US Navy submarine veterans. Free to attend. Held at Ryan's Steakhouse, 1000 Brevard Road BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • Every other TUESDAY, 4pm - Basic computer skills class. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • THURSDAYS, 10:30amnoon - Modern money theory study group. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • THURSDAYS, 5pm - Spanish Conversation Group for adults. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St.

EAT. SLEEP. CRAFT: The Penland School of Craft Community Open House is planned for Saturday, Feb. 29, 1-5 p.m. The open house is an afternoon of hands-on activities in the clay studio where people of all ages can try out the potter’s wheel or, in the metals studio, choose a design to press into copper to make a pin. Activities are also planned in the textile, wood, paper, print and photo studios. To participate in the activities in the iron studio or the hot glass shop, you must enter a lottery due to the limited spots. For more information and directions, visit penland.org or call 828-765-2359. Photo courtesy of Robin Dreyer (p. 37) CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY/AFTERSCHOOL PROJECT • FR (2/28), 6-7pm Afterschool Project youth presentations about the Southside community African-American leaders, their history and heritage. Free. Held at Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St. ESTATE PLANNING AND ADVANCE DIRECTIVES • TU (3/3), 11am - Estate planning and advance directives workshop. Free. Held at United Federal Credit Union, 101 Jack St., Hendersonville LAUREL CHAPTER OF THE EMBROIDERERS' GUILD OF AMERICA • TH (3/5), 11am - 30th anniversary celebration lecture on whitework embroidery. Short business meeting at 10am. Free. Held at Cummings United Methodist Church, 3 Banner Farm Road, Horse Shoe ONTRACK WNC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc. org • TH (2/27), noon-1:30pm Budgeting and Debt, class. Registration required. Free.

• TH (2/27), 5:30-7pm - Understanding Credit. Get it. Keep it. Improve it. Seminar. Registration required. Free. TELL YOUR STORY • TH (2/27), 6-8pm - Share your history and knowledge of the Burton Street Community and see what our afterschool students have created with the LEAF Schools and Streets program. Dinner provided. Free. Held at Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St. . TRIVIA NIGHT • TUESDAYS, 7pm - Trivia night. Free. Held at VFW Post 9157, 165 Cragmont Road, Black Mountain

FOOD & BEER MEREDITH LEIGH PRESENTS 'THE ETHICAL MEAT HANDBOOK' • MO (3/2), 7pm - Meredith Leigh discusses her book, The Ethical Meat Handbook, with Laura Lengnick and Keia Mastrianni. Free to attend. Held at Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS NONPARTISAN CANVASSING: INDIVIDUAL AVL VOTER OUTREACH (PD.) Volunteers needed for "Let's All Vote!" nonpartisan canvass. Monthly canvasses held in various neighborhoods around Buncombe County. Training and all materials provided. Childcare by licensed K-12 art teacher. Sign up for 3/07 canvass at: bit.ly/OutreachMarch ALL THINGS VOTING PROGRAM • TH (2/20), 4-6pm - All Things Voting, presentation by Karen Hebb, Board of Elections director. Free. Held at Henderson County Public Library, 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville CITIZENS-POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 5pm - Citizens-Police Advisory Committee meeting. Free. Meets in the 1st Floor Conference Room, Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St.

HAYWOOD COUNTY TDA GRANTS • TH (2/27), 10am or 2 pm - Applicants for the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority partnership funding must attend a mandatory workshop. Registration: joretta@visitncsmokies. com. Free. Held at Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, 1110 Soco Road, Maggie Valley INDIVISIBLE COMMON GROUND-WNC • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 6:308pm - General meeting. Free. Held at St. David's Episcopal Church, 286 Forest Hills Road, Sylva STATE OF THE DOWNTOWN LUNCHEON • WE (2/26), noon1:30pm - State of the Downtown, luncheon with presentations. Registration required. $20/$15 members. Held at Harrah's Cherokee Center - Asheville, 87 Haywood St. VETERANS FOR PEACE • TUESDAYS, 5pm Weekly peace vigil. Free. Held at Vance Monument, 1 Pack Square

CONSCIOUS PARTY

by Deborah Robertson YOUNG DEMOCRATS DISCUSSION • TH (2/27), 6:30-8pm - Young democrats discussion for ages 18-30. Pizza and drinks provided. Registration: 828-692-6424. Free. Held at Henderson County Democratic Party, 1216 6th Ave. W., Suite 600, Hendersonville

KIDS EMPOWERING THE LEADER IN EACH YOUNG MAN (PD.) Journeymen is supporting adolescent boys on their paths to becoming men of integrity. Our cost-free program is now enrolling young men 12-17. Mentees (“J-men”) participate in bi-weekly mentoring groups and a semi-annual Rites of Passage Adventure Weekend, where they develop compassion, self-awareness, accountability, resilience and authenticity. Learn more: journeymenasheville. org Contact: journeymenasheville@ gmail.com (828) 771-6344. APPLE VALLEY MODEL RAILROAD & MUSEUM • WEDNESDAYS, 1-3pm & SATURDAYS, 10am-2pm - Open house featuring operating model trains and historic memorabilia. Free. Held at Apple Valley Model Railroad & Museum, 650 Maple St., Hendersonville BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • 2nd SATURDAYS, 1-4pm & LAST WEDNESDAYS, 4-6pm - Teen Dungeons and Dragons for ages 12 and up. Registration required: 828-250-4720. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • FR (2/28), 3:30pm - Art Adventures for Kids, art technique class for children. Free. Held at Fairview Public Library, Fairview

• FR (2/28), 4pm - Lego building for children ages five and up. Free. Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester • FR (2/28), 4pm - Sign up to read with JR The Therapy Dog. Registration: 828-2504758. Free. Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • MONDAYS, 10:30am - Mother Goose Time, storytime for 4-18 month olds. Free. Held at Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 11am-noon - Storytime + Art, project for preschool students. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • WE (3/4), 4pm - Dungeons and Dragons for ages 6-12. Registration required. Free. Held at Fairview Public Library, Fairview • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 4-5:30pm - Heroes Unlimited, role playing game for grades 6-12. Registration required. Free. Held at Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview CHILDREN’S BOOK SALE • SA (2/29), 8am-4pm - Used children's book sale. Free to attend. Held at Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville FLAMENCO KIDS • FRIDAYS, 6:15pm Flamenco for children ages 5-10. Information: 786-327-9548. $14/class or $50/month. Held at In His Steps Dance Ministry, 159 Church St. PLAYDATES • MONDAYS, 9-10am - Playdates, family fun activities. Free to attend. Held at Whole Foods Market, 4 S. Tunnel Road STEM WITH DR. K • TU (3/20), 3:305:30pm - STEM with Dr. K: Designing a math board game, part 2. Registration required. Ages: 6-106. Free. Held at Mountains Branch

CHANGE THE WORLD: The Junior League of Asheville hosts its third annual Volunteer Expo Saturday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Expo Center. Modeled after a job fair, the Volunteer Expo is an opportunity to learn about local nonprofits, their volunteer needs and other ways to support these organizations. The league has partnered with more than 70 local nonprofits, including organizations that specialize in addressing health, poverty, legal aid, environmental stewardship, women’s issues, arts, civic leadership, technology, education and animal welfare. To learn more, visit juniorleagueofasheville. org. Photo courtesy of Getty Images (p. 21)

Library, 150 Bill's Creek Road, Lake Lure

OUTDOORS GET OUTSIDE & BE SAFE DOING IT • TH (3/5), 6:30-7:30pm - Get Outside & Be Safe Doing it, lecture on outdoor safety by Gorges State Park Ranger, Neal Wilcox. Free. Held at Transylvania County Library, 212 S. Gaston St., Brevard WOMEN IN FIRE • TH (2/27), 7-8:30pm Women in Fire, presentation about wildland fire careers for women. Registration required: rei.com/events. Free to attend. Held at REI Asheville, 31 Schenck Parkway

PARENTING EVERGREEN INFORMATION SESSION • WE (2/26), 6-7:30pm - Information session for prospective families interested in enrolling their child. Free. Held at Evergreen Community Charter School, 50 Bell Road MOTHERS CONNECTION • THURSDAYS, 11:30am1:30pm - Social gathering for mothers and their babies. Registration required. Free to attend. Held at Haywood Regional Medical Center, 262 Leroy George Drive, Clyde

PUBLIC LECTURES BLACK ASHEVILLE HISTORY HARVEST UPDATE • TH (2/27), 6pm - Friends of the North Carolina Room and the Buncombe County Community Engagement

Team present update on the North Carolina Room's most recent community archiving project: The Black Asheville History Project. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. BUILDING OUR CITY • TH (3/5), 5:30-7pm Patrick Bowen provides key demographic characteristics and trends of Asheville’s housing market. Free. Held at The Collider, 1 Haywood St., Suite 401 THE ODYSSEY PROJECT • TH (2/27), 7-8:30pm - The Odyssey Project: Challenging the Glorification of Colonialism, community dialogue which use episodes from Homer’s Odyssey as the context for exploring current societal challenges. Free. Held at UNC Asheville Sherrill Center, 227 Campus Drive

SENIORS CHAIR YOGA • THURSDAYS, 2pm - Chair Yoga. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville

• 4th FRIDAYS, 10amnoon - Contemplative Companions, meditation. Free. • TUESDAYS 7-8:30pm - Mountain Mindfulness Sangha. Admission by donation.

SPORTS

at Henderson County Public Library, 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville INTRODUCTION TO MEDICARE: UNDERSTANDING THE PUZZLE • FR (2/28), 2-4pm Introduction to Medicare – Understanding the Puzzle, explains how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties and ways to save money. Registration: coabc. org or 828-277-8288. Free. Held at UNC-Asheville Reuter Center, 1 Campus View Road TAI CHI FOR ARTHRITIS AND FALLS PREVENTION • Through FR (2/28) - Open registration for Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention, 20-class series taking place beginning FRIDAYS (3/6), 10-11am. Registration: 828-251-7438 or stephanie@landofsky.org. Free. Held at Land of Sky Regional Council Offices, 339 New Leicester Highway, Suite 140

SPIRITUALITY

FOCUS ON FLEXIBILITY • TUESDAYS, 2:30pm - Focus on Flexibility, exercise class focused on stiffness, balance and body alignment. Information: 828-299-4844. Free. Held at Haw Creek Commons, 311 Old Haw Creek Road

ANATASATI MAGGA (PD.) Sujata Yasa (Nancy Spence). Zen Buddhism. Weekly meditations and services; Daily recitations w/mala. Urban retreats. 32 Mineral Dust Drive, Asheville, NC 28806. 828-367-7718. info@anattasatimagga.org. ANATTASATIMAGGA.ORG

HENDERSON COUNTY ALZHEIMER’S COMMUNITY FORUM • WE (2/26), 10-11:30am - Alzheimer’s Association of Western Carolina hosts the Henderson County Alzheimer's community forum. Registration: tinyurl. com/ALZHendersonForum or 800-272-3900. Free. Held

ASTRO-COUNSELING (PD.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services. Christy

Gunther, MA, LPC. (828) 258-3229. ECK LIGHT AND SOUND SERVICE: MEET YOUR DAILY CHALLENGES WITH HU, A LOVE SONG TO GOD (PD.) Explore your own direct connection with the Divine within this service, an engaging blend of insightful stories, uplifting creative arts, and contemplative exercises. Experience the Light and Sound of God and the sacred sound of HU, which can open your heart to divine love, healing, and inner guidance. Fellowship follows. Sponsored by ECKANKAR. Date: Sunday, March 1, 2020, 11am, Eckankar Center of Asheville, 797 Haywood Rd. (“Kings and Queens Salon” building, lower level), Asheville NC 28806, 828-254-6775. (free event). www.eckankar-nc. org CREATION CARE FOR KIDS • SA (2/29), 11am - Mary Anne Inglis shares experiences in running a Creation Care Vacation Bible School. Free. Held at The Episcopal Church of Saint John in the Wilderness, 1905 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock MEDITATION CLASS • 1st SUNDAYS, 10am - Meditation class sponsored by Science of Spirituality. Information: 828-348-9123 or avlmeditation@gmail. com. Free. Held at Veda Studios, 853 Merrimon Ave., (Upstairs) THE CENTER FOR ART AND SPIRIT AT ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1 School Road, 828-2580211

ADULT LEAGUE KICKBALL • Through FR (3/20) Open registration for adult league kickball season beginning in April. Registration: bit.ly/2T0XnPQ. $35. LACROSSE CLINIC • SATURDAYS (2/29) until (3/14), 1:30pm - Lacrosse clinics for boys and girls in grades 3-5 and 6-10. Grades 3-5: 1:30pm. Grades 6-10: 3:15pm. Registration: summitschool.org/ signup. Free. Held at Summit Charter School, 370 Mitten Lane, Cashiers

VOLUNTEERING 12 BASKETS CAFE VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION • TUESDAYS 10:30am - Volunteer orientation. Held at 12 Baskets Cafe, 610 Haywood Road HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC • THURSDAYS, 11am - See the Hope Tour, find out how Homeward Bound is working to end homelessness and how you can help. Registration required: tours@ homewardboundwnc. org or 828-785-9840. Free. Held at Homeward Bound of WNC, 19 N. Ann St. JUNIOR LEAGUE OF ASHEVILLE juniorleagueofasheville. org • FR (2/28), 6-9pm - Celebration of volunteers with live music, silent auction and refreshments. Free. Held at Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway • SA (2/29), 10am3pm - Volunteer expo featuring over 70 local

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nonprofits. Free. Held at Crowne Plaza Expo Center, 1 Resort Drive LITERACY COUNCIL OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY VOLUNTEER INFORMATION SESSION • MO (3/2), 5:30pm - Information session for those interested in volunteering two hours per week with adults who want to improve reading, writing, spelling and English language skills. Free. Held at The Literacy Council of Buncombe County, 31 College Place, Suite B221 REACH OF HAYWOOD COUNTY • SA (2/29), 9:30am4:30pm - REACH volunteer training. Registration required: 828-456-7898 or BQreach@aol.com. Free. Held at REACH of Haywood County, 627 N. Main St., Waynesville TRANZMISSION PRISON PROJECT • Fourth THURSDAYS, 6-9pm - Monthly meeting to prepare packages of books and zines for mailing to prisons across the US. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road TRAUMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM OF WNC TRAINING ACADEMY • Through WE (2/26) - Open registration to participate in the 10-day volunteer training program beginning Thursday, Feb. 27. Information and registration: 828513-0498 or online. WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 10amnoon - Volunteer to deliver food boxes to homebound people living with HIV/ AIDS. Registration: 828-252-7489 x 315 or wncapvolunteer@ wncap.org. For more volunteering opportunities visit mountainx.com/ volunteering

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

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A new documentary film produced by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s Medicaid Covers Us campaign highlights two Western North Carolina residents who lack access to health insurance. Richard Horodyski, a resident of Creston (which lies north of Boone) says, “It’s a hard place to be, to know you can’t get medical care and afford it.” Horodyski and his wife, Vickie, own and work on their family farm. According to the film website, “They adopted two children and for years were therapeutic foster parents. Vickie recently became eligible for Medicare, but Richard is uninsured. With Richard’s long family history of heart disease and heart attacks, this makes them nervous for their future.” Emma Childs of Fairview says of her work on an organic farm, “I help feed my community, but that means I’m not able to afford health care.” The farm doesn’t offer health insurance, and Childs makes too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to receive a subsidy under the Affordable Care Act. Left Behind: Health and Hope in North Carolina premiered on Jan. 30 in Raleigh. The film can be viewed online at avl.mx/6yc. While Democrats in the N.C. General Assembly and Gov. Roy Cooper have advocated for expanding Medicaid to cover people like Horodyski and Childs, state Republicans have opposed the move, citing concerns that federal financial support for the program could shrink in the future and that current Medicaid recipients could face increased competition for care if a large number of people were added to the program, among other issues.

Happenings at AdventHealth Hendersonville AdventHealth Hendersonville announced several news items during the past month, including: • The system received an overall fivestar rating in quality from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the latest hospital performance report released by the federal agency, placing

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IN THE GAP: Emma Childs of Fairview, left, and Richard Horodyski of Creston appear in Left Behind: Health and Hope in North Carolina, a documentary film about falling within the Medicaid coverage gap and living without health insurance in North Carolina. Photo courtesy of the American Cancer Society it in the top 9% of hospitals nationally for quality and patient safety. Mission Hospital in Asheville also received an overall five-star rating. For more information, see avl.mx/6yo. • Jimm Bunch, AdventHealth Hendersonville’s president and CEO, will retire at the end of March. He has been with the system for over 30 years, serving in his current role since 2006. AdventHealth has begun the search for a successor. • AdventHealth Hendersonville opened its first urgent care center, AdventHealth Centra Care Arden, at 436 Airport Road on Jan. 28. • Dr. Brian Carey merged his practice with the AdventHealth Medical Group. From his offices on Lynn Road in Tryon, he and his team now operate as AdventHealth Medical Group Urgent and Family Care at Tryon. • Country Clinic Family Practice will become AdventHealth Medical Group Family Medicine at Etowah. Physician Assistant Shann Davis and his team will continue to occupy office space on Etowah School Road.

• Dr. Rebecca Roques-Davis joined a team of cancer care specialists at AdventHealth Cancer Services’ Hematology Oncology Infusion Services Haywood in Clyde. • Dr. Nicole Groves joined AdventHealth Medical Group Pediatrics at Medical Office Building in Hendersonville. • The AdventHealth Hendersonville Foundation added nine new members to its board of directors: Rachel Balson, Chick-fil-A; Vicki Banks, Biltmore Estate; J. Scott Benyon, community volunteer; Adriana Chavela, founder, Hola Carolina; Jill R. Cody, Keller Williams; Donna Gibbs, Summit Wellness Centers; Dr. William Frank McKemie, AdventHealth Hendersonville; Lisa Parham, Champion Credit Union; and Rickey E. Parker, Kimberly-Clark Corp.

Listening for your health Lake Toxaway-based Skyterra Wellness Retreat announced the release of “Inspired Intentions,” a weekly podcast “dedicated to helping

listeners find simple and actionable ways to make positive life changes with tips for building new habits and improving health,” according to the retreat center. Jeffrey Ford, Skyterra executive director and podcast co-host, said, “We cut through the unrealistic noise on diets and fitness and show you how healthy living fits seamlessly into your already busy life.” New episodes are released on Mondays and can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify and TuneIn by searching for the podcast’s title.

Remembering loved ones A celebration of life in remembrance of those who died at Hendersonville’s Pardee Hospital in 2019 will take place on Sunday, March 1, at 3 p.m. in the Pardee orientation classroom, located on the ground floor. Those in attendance may say a few words about their loved one, while those who cannot attend may choose to have their loved one’s name read by the chaplain. For more information and to register by Thursday, Feb. 27, call 828-696-1168.

Your Body in Balance discussed March 16

Released Feb. 4, the book includes stories of people who have overcome health conditions using diet changes, as well as practical tips and recipes.

Haywood Diabetes Prevention Program A lifestyle change program that aims to prevent Type 2 diabetes will begin on Tuesday, March 17, at the Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency. The 24 weekly sessions, held 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, will provide participants information and tools to maintain a healthy weight, prepare and eat healthy means and be physically active. Thanks to a grant administered by N.C. State University, the program is free and includes incentives like yoga mats, resistance bands and cookbooks for those who complete it. The agency can also “offer gas cards or childcare to individuals experiencing barriers in these areas,” according to a spokesperson. For more information, call Megan Hauser at 828-356-2272 or Lauren Wood at 828-356-2292. Clinicians may also refer patients who are either at risk of or have been diagnosed with prediabetes.

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Nutrition researcher Dr. Neal Barnard will speak about his new book, Your Body in Balance, in Asheville on Monday, March 16, 7-8:30 p.m. at The Collider, 1 Haywood St. According to a press release, Barnard will “share the science behind how food and hormones play a powerful role in fertility and menopause, sex-hormone related cancers, balancing the thyroid, Type 2 diabetes and regulating metabolism.”

Kerri Eaker has been appointed chair of the N.C. Council on Developmental Disabilities by Gov. Roy Cooper. Eaker is the family support outreach coordinator for The Family Support Network of WNC at Mission Children’s Hospital in Asheville. Elizabeth Vogler, professor of social work at Mars Hill University, was named the 2020 social worker of the year by the National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter X

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WELLN ESS CA LEN DA R ASHEVILLE TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION CENTER: INTRODUCTORY SESSIONS • THURSDAYS, 6:30-7:30pm Introductory session for Transcendental Meditation. Registration: 828-254-4350 or MeditationAsheville. org. Free. Held at Asheville Center for Transcendental Meditation, 165 E. Chestnut

workshop. Registration required: Ashevillehappybody. com/workshops. Free to attend. Held at Happy Body, 1378 Hendersonville Road

BE MINDFUL • TUESDAYS, 7:308:30pm - Guided, non-religious sitting and walking meditation. Admission by donation. Held at Urban Dharma, 77 W. Walnut St.

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES redcrosswnc.org • WE (2/26), 8:30am1pm - Appointments & info: 828-8032884. Held at YMCA - Woodfin, 30 Woodfin St. • WE (2/26), 1-6pm - Appointments & info: 828-803-2884 or visit RedCrossBlood. org. Held at First Baptist Church of Swannanoa, 503 Park Street, Swannanoa • TH (2/27), 11am-3:30pm Appointments & info: Carmen@ mastgeneralstore. com or call 828-7120309. Held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St. • FR (2/28), 11am3:30pm - Appoint-

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION: AMONG FRIENDS • 4th WEDNESDAYS, 11:30am-noon - Coffee and conversation on wellness topics. Free. Held at Ferguson Family YMCA, 31 Westridge Market Place, Candler EMBODIED WISDOM: FINDING SUPPORT FROM WITHIN • WE (2/26), 5:307pm - Embodied Wisdom: Finding Support from Within,

GENTLE FLOW YOGA • MONDAYS, 5:306:30pm - Gentle Flow Yoga. $5. Held at Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester

ments & info: 828-803-2884 or visit RedCrossBlood. org. Held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St. • WE (3/4), 1-6pm Appointments & info: 828-803-2884 or visit RedCrossBlood.org. Held at Ira B. Jones Elementary, 544 Kimberly Ave. SPECIAL OLYMPICS ADAPTIVE CROSSFIT CLASSES • WEDNESDAYS, 3-4pm - Adaptive crossfit classes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Free. Held at South Slope CrossFit, 217 Coxe Ave., Suite B TAI CHI FOR ADULTS • TH (3/5), 10:3011:15am - Tai chi for adults and tailored for veterans. Registration required: 828-250-4700. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library - Lord Auditorium, 67 Haywood St. THE BLOOD CONNECTION BLOOD DRIVES 800-392-6551, thebloodconnection. org

• TH (2/27), 10am-3pm - Blood donation drive. Registration: bit.ly/2Sj8GnE. Held at AdventHealth Hendersonville, 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville • WE (3/4), 10am-3pm - Blood donation event. Appointments: bit.ly/2wxZTpz. Held at Pardee Hospital, 800 N. Justice St., Hendersonville WALKING CLASS • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 9am - Walking exercise class. Free. Held at Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville YWCA FITNESS AND AQUATICS OPEN HOUSE • WE (2/26), 7am7pm - Fitness and aquatics open house with refreshments, personal trainers and fitness associates, tours and free opportunity to use the gym, pool and group fitness classes. Free. Held at YWCA of Asheville, 185 S. French Broad Ave.

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FUN GUY: Lois Martin of the Truffle Dog Co. works with her dog, Monza, to locate truffles in an orchard at Mountain Research Station in Waynesville. Although pigs were traditionally used to find truffles in Europe, modern American truffle growers favor trained dogs. Photo by Susi Gott Séguret

BY SG SÉGURET sgseguret@gmail.com On the heels of the 2020 Asheville Truffle Experience, readers and newly captivated aficionados may wonder what it takes to bring this luxury ingredient to the plate. The short answer is faith — in spades. The truffle (not the chocolate kind) is actually a sack of spores, the fruiting body of a fungus that attains maturity underground, attached by an almost invisible mycelium to the roots of certain host trees, most commonly oak and hazelnut. As a survival tactic, in order to entice predators to aid in its quest for sexual reproduction, it emits a powerful odor when mature. It’s this aroma that causes chefs to swoon. Cultivation of the Périgord truffle, the most revered of black truffles,

began in earnest around 1863, when phylloxera ravaged grape production in what became known as the Great French Wine Blight. It wasn’t until 1977 that the first inoculated truffle trees were planted in Europe, marking the start of a truffle renaissance. In the United States, François Picart began spreading the gospel of the truffle in the 1970s and 1980s, selling inoculated hazelnut seedlings from his nursery in Santa Rosa, Calif., using techniques developed by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research. On the East Coast, Franklin Garland of Hillsborough, N.C., initiated the state’s truffle-farming buzz in 2004 when he provided 50 ex-tobacco farmers with 200 inoculated trees each,

CONTINUES ON PAGE 26

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FAR M & GA R DEN following his own successful production of a Périgord truffle in 1992. Just across the border in East Tennessee, Dr. Tom Michaels planted his first orchard in 2000, harvesting his first truffle seven years later. Since then, Michaels’ truffles have graced the tables of chefs Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller among others, but he acknowledges the trickiness of his trade. “To be a successful truffle grower,” he says, “you have to be good at dealing with a lot of free-floating anxiety.” Producing a truffle takes years and years of labor and waiting. It involves choosing the right slope and exposure, clearing the land and liming it to bring it to the proper pH, which Western North Carolina soils do not inherently exhibit. Then the farmer must plant skillfully inoculated seedlings of just the right tree with just the right spacing; water just enough, but not too much; keep weeds, other fungal organisms and predators at bay; and identify and treat molds, mildews and blights. Then there’s more waiting while also training or renting a truffle dog. U.S. truffle farmers work with dogs rather than the greedier pigs

FRUIT OF FAITH: This black truffle is one of about 40 unearthed early this month at the Mountain Research Station pilot truffle orchard in Waynesville. Established in 2011, this is the first year the orchard has yielded a harvest. Photo by Susi Gott Séguret Europeans have traditionally used to locate their truffles. The dogs help to check for progress regularly for up to 10 years before show of a harvest. And, of course, there’s the initial financial investment. In a 2016 National Geographic story, Robert Chang of the California-based American Truffle Co. estimated that it costs $15,000-$20,000 to establish a truffle orchard. So, why would anyone be crazy enough to embark upon this venture in the land of tobacco and tomatoes, with nothing in our history that has prepared us for the use of this specific ingredient? ’BLEEDING EDGE’ For some, it’s just pure fascination of the uncommon coupled with the sense of adventure in uncharted territory. For others, it is a scientific process, with accompanying financial aspirations. The crop has the potential to be enticingly lucrative for stalwart, patient farmers. Truffles can fetch as much as $4,500 a pound for the prized Tuber magnatum, which has yet to appear states-side, and up to $1,500 a pound for the T. melanosporum, which is manifesting with more regularity on U.S. soils. Brian Upchurch of Carolina Truffières in Fletcher planted his original orchard in 2016 as a farm diversification strategy at the insistence of his then 15-year-old son, Davis, who spent his days researching the fabled tuber instead of hanging out with his friends. Upchurch, a nurseryman by training, is acting president of the North American Truffle Growers Association. He has developed a business propagat-

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

MOUNTAINX.COM

ing mycorrhized (fungus-inoculated) seedlings — around 8,000 at a time — for other truffle growers (also known as truffières) using techniques researched by his son. Over the years, he has expanded his orchard to around 3 acres, including a variety of species beyond the traditional host hazelnut and oak, such as the Douglas fir and holly oak. He says the venture, like all agriculture, is “a calculated risk,” which is lessened by due diligence. Like many other pioneers in the trade, he has yet to produce his first harvest, but remains hopeful, given the signs of brulée (absence of other vegetative organisms) at the base of his trees. “The cutting edge can often be the bleeding edge,” he observes, referring to all he has poured into the venture since its inception. “The industry has to progress to a critical mass before success is possible.” To maintain levity, he keeps a menagerie of longhaired highland cattle, several miniature donkeys, three canines and a camel named Darwin. BURIED TREASURE Andreas Lim and his wife, Sherry Snelson, planted their 2-acre orchard of Périgord truffles in 2014 on Snelson’s eighth-generation family farm in Leicester. Sycamore Valley Truffles is one of the multiple ventures of Sycamore Valley Farm, which has a vegetable, fruit and meat stand on New Leicester Highway, seven miles northwest of Asheville. “We needed to come up with a farm plan that could provide long-term economic sustainability for the next generation and beyond,” says Lim. “We read about a number of attempts for

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CITIZENS CONCERNED WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS SOLUTION • TU (3/3), 6-7:30pm - Monthly meeting. Information: bit.ly/3bSnGRa. Free. Held at Donaldson Room, 1216 Sixth Ave. W. - Suite 500 (in back), Hendersonville

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cultivating the black winter truffle, i.e. Périgord, with variable success in Western North Carolina. Reviewing the science behind the cultivation and location, it seemed we had an opportunity to align the stars on the farm.” His overall vision is to “promote truffle production in the Leicester area as the next economic evolution in mutigeneration farming. Our expectations are measured. We hope to have a winter harvest by 2021-22, but quality and quantity remain unknown.” The work of Jeanine Davis, N.C. State University professor and head of the Mountain Research Station, is blazing a trail for WNC truffle farmers. Davis planted a test orchard on less than a fifth of an acre in Waynesville in 2011 with seedlings from Garland Truffles. Two years later, she put a second batch of seedlings in the ground — this time blight-resistant — in the hopes of escaping the Eastern Filbert Blight, which hovers at the edge of the first orchard. Davis and her team, with the help of Lois Martin’s trained Lagotto Romagnolo dog, Monza, finally unearthed 40 beautiful specimens of Périgord truffles this year, following two years that produced only a small handful. “Farming by neglect doesn’t work,” says Davis, “But if you use the current knowledge available on truffle-growing and maintain your orchard with proper pruning, irrigation and patience, you’ll eventually get truffles.” Madison County-based chef, musician and author Susi Gott Séguret’s latest book, Cooking with Truffles: A Chef’s Guide, will be available this spring. For details, see ashevilletruffle.com. X

ANNUAL SEEDLING SALE • TH (3/5) & FR (3/6), 8am-6pm - Annual plant and seedling sale. Free to attend. Held at Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District, 49 Mount Carmel Road MEN’S GARDEN CLUB OF ASHEVILLE MEETING • TU (3/3), 11:30-1pm - General meeting with presentation by Philip Oglesby, vineyard manager, Biltmore Estate Wine Company. Registration required: wleginski@yahoo.com.

$12 includes lunch. Held at First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St. VISIT NC FARMS LEARNING SESSION • WE (2/26), 10am-2pm -NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service learning session for the Visit NC Farms app. Registration required: bit.ly/VisitNCFarms or victoria.patterson@ ncagr.gov. Free. Held at Southwestern Community College, 447 College Drive, Sylva

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BY KAY WEST kswest55@comcast.net “If there are enough immigrants from any country settling in a new city, eventually a restaurant of that country will open,” says Ethiopian immigrant Neeraj Kebede, who, with his American wife, Vicki Schomer, opened Addissae Ethiopian restaurant on Commerce Street in 2014. The couple, seated at a table in the back of the restaurant in the lull between lunch and dinner, look at each other and laugh. “There have been very few Ethiopians here in Asheville,” says Schomer. “Maybe six, besides me,” Kebede confirms. “Not all of them have stayed.” The restaurant, however, does have staying power, celebrating its fifth anniversary in December. Its customer base is largely local — folks who voted

repeatedly for years that a business serving Ethiopian food was one of the top three “Restaurants Still Needed in Asheville” in the Mountain Xpress Best of WNC poll; residents who crave the exotic dishes unique to that cuisine, such as wat and tibs, served atop the traditional injera sourdough flatbread. Despite the fact that they had no previous restaurant experience, Kebede and Schomer decided they would fill Asheville’s Ethiopian restaurant void and went to Mountain BizWorks for help creating a business plan. When they stumbled upon an available space while meeting a friend downtown for dinner at Chai Pani, they say, they ran to the landlord’s office and claimed it. Barely eight months later, they opened Addissae to a line of customers waiting outside the door. “Every new restaurant, especially if it offers something unique, has that big bump the first couple of months,” says Schomer.

“Then it dies down, and you see who your people are. Partly because we are not in the heart of the tourist district, we really rely on regulars and locals.” That is an assessment spoken in multiple languages in Western North Carolina, which, despite a paucity of ethnic and racial diversity demographically, boasts global culinary representation. Thailand, France, Vietnam, Japan, Mexico, El Salvador, Lebanon, India, Argentina, Italy, Spain, China, Cuba, Greece, Peru, Jamaica, Colombia and Israel could plant their flags on a local restaurant map, and nearly all of those businesses are locally owned and operated. FROM BANGKOK TO ASHEVILLE

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small covered landing outside Little Bee Thai restaurant on South French Broad Avenue. When the neon “open” sign lights up at 5 and the door is unlocked, they make a beeline to the counter to order the dishes made fresh daily from scratch by chef/owner Took Charemwong. She learned to cook from her mother and grandmother who made street food in Bangkok. “It is always like this,” says Charemwong’s husband and business partner Rick Corcoran, who built out a corner inside a gas station on Sweeten Creek Road in 2008 for the first iteration of Little Bee Thai. The couple later converted a Little Debbie’s delivery truck into a mobile eatery that they rolled around town before opening in their current location, in the same building as Grail Moviehouse. (Grail owners Davida Horwitz and Steve White were Little Bee customers who found the space they turned into a movie theater through Corcoran.) “We started small and have stayed small,” says Corcoran. “Took’s food is so unique. We have no freezer, no microwave and no walk-in cooler. She cooks everything fresh, like she did on the street. We worked really hard to build our following. Our clientele is regulars and locals who don’t mind waiting for that and appreciate that we are local, independent and a bit out of the way of the downtown craziness.”

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Lexington Avenue was more than a bit out of the way when Cecilia Marchesini and her then-husband, Stephane Diaz, opened Café Soleil in 2003. “There was nothing but Heiwa Shokudu and us on Lexington back then,” she remembers. “There was no tourist traffic. Everyone told us we were crazy, that no one would go on that street at night. But Café Soleil was a magical place, and thanks to locals, it was successful.” The restaurant’s main concept was French crepes, with occasional specials like coq au vin and beef Bourguignon. Though Diaz, from France, was a trained chef, he ran the front of the house and left the cooking to Marchesini, who had moved from Argentina to Asheville in 1998 to attend college and get her business degree. “I am not a chef, I’m a cook,” she says emphatically. “I learned to cook in my family, at home, and everything was fresh from the trees and my grandfather’s yard.” To Café Soleil’s French fare Marchesini added Argentinian empanadas, which were so well received by diners that when the marriage ended and the restaurant closed, she continued making them at food festivals, adding tamales and a Cuban sandwich when she launched her first food truck, Ceci’s Culinary Tour. Marchesini’s mobile business was brisk in warm weather, soon expanding to two trucks, but she needed

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a brick-and-mortar spot to make it through the slower winter months. In 2012, she opened Cecilia’s Kitchen with the same menu, 16 seats and a small patio on Merrimon Avenue. Two years later, she reunited — professionally and quite briefly — with Diaz to bring back the old Café Soleil magic in Black Mountain. The cozy, 40-seat La Guinguette opened in November 2014 with a similar culturecrossing menu of French crepes and Argentinian empanadas and tamales. “Black Mountain is beautiful, but there was some education involved,” she says. “We had to teach people how to say crepes — not craps. And one man told me he loved the empanadas, but I should serve them with gravy. I said, ‘Thank you for your input, but no gravy on my empanadas!’” BIENVENUE, Y’ALL Michel Baudouin was on the receiving end of the education when he opened his first Asheville restaurant on Pack Square in 2001. “The Grape Escape was a wine bar with small plates because we did not have a full-sized kitchen,” he says. “We had 100 wines by the glass and 25 flights. We were popular with visitors from bigger cities, but many locals were turned off; they thought the wine choices were too big and the food too small.” Raised on a farm outside Lyon, France, Baudouin first cooked in Paris, then in his half-brother’s French restaurant in Dallas, Texas,

before opening and running his own eatery for 20 years in nearby Fort Worth. Seeking a change of both culture and climate, he transplanted to Asheville with his wife, Vonciel, and struggled for four years to make The Grape Escape work through the “tourist famine” months of JanuaryMarch, before hearing of a space on Lexington Avenue recently vacated by … Café Soleil. Baudouin opened Bouchon in 2005, and while it took some time to overcome the locals’ wariness of that street, eventually he won them over with the classic French bistro concept: comfort food a la francaise. Y’all say biscuits, nous disons baguettes. “We always wanted to appeal to locals,” Baudouin says. “At first it was a struggle, but in the economic downturn of 2007 and 2008, we actually grew by 30% a year. We were perceived as unpretentious, comfortable food and a good value, which is what a bistro is. We marketed ourselves as the quickest trip to France.” Last year, in response to longtime customer concerns that the downtown restaurant was too crowded, he opened RendezVous — with the same menu and bistro ambiance as Bouchon — in East Asheville. “I told the new staff in training that when we opened, the customers would know the menu better than [the staff] would, and I was right,” says Baudouin. “People ask me sometimes if I would move back to France, and I say no because I would be a foreigner again,” he muses. “This is my home, and I am happy to bring France here.” X

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SMALL BITES

FOOD

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

Mother Ocean Seafood Market set to open Since 2017, Mother Ocean Seafood Market has been a staple at a number of local farmers markets. The business, co-owned by Sam Kosik and Greg Kilpatrick, has also regularly set up shop in the parking lot of Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian on Merrimon Avenue. But on Tuesday, March 3, the twoman operation will fold up its tent and open a brick-and-mortar location at 640 Merrimon Ave., next door to The Hop Ice Cream Cafe. The shop will offer a variety of fresh seafood, with the majority sourced from the Carolina coasts. “We deal mostly with day boat fish,” Kosik explains. “These are fish that are one to two days out of the water.” Special orders will also be sourced from the Northeast, Florida coast and the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic. “If it’s swimming in the ocean, we can find it,” says Kosik The new space will also provide Kilpatrick the opportunity to demonstrate his culinary skills. Soups, chowders and cold sides, including shrimp salads and crab cakes, will be available right out of the gate. The eatery will also supply preordered dinner and party options for pick up. Later, Kosik adds, Mother Ocean Seafood Market plans to expand its counter service with made-to-order options like po’ boy sandwiches, blackened fish sandwiches, and fish and chips.

Remembering Ben Mixson

OPEN FOR BUSINESS: Mother Ocean Seafood Market celebrates its grand opening on Tuesday, March 3. The shop is owned and operated by Greg Kilpatrick, left, and Sam Kosik. Photo by Thomas Calder Mother Ocean Seafood Market will feature products from Western North Carolina vendors, including Goddess Ghee and Serotonin Ferments, and will source fresh produce from local and regional farmers. “We just want to feed people in Asheville healthier, better options,” says Kosik. Though their tent outside Vinnie’s might be gone, regular market shoppers will still find Kosik and Kilpatrick setting up shop at the West Asheville Tailgate and Downtown City markets. “We want to remain available to those who enjoy the market experience,” says Kosik. Mother Ocean Seafood Market is slated to open Tuesday, March 3, at 640 Merrimon Ave. Regular hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, visit avl.mx/6xw.

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butcher Meredith Leigh to discuss the second edition of her 2015 book The Ethical Meat Handbook. Leigh will be joined by soil scientist Laura Lengnick and fellow author Keia Mastrianni. “Meat and fat are some of the most popular fodder for dietary quibble but can serve as the metaphorical deep tissue and stored bounty for our collective conversation about food,” the event description reads. A book signing will follow the discussion. The event is free to attend. The discussion runs 7-8 p.m. Monday, March 2, at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St. To learn more, visit avl.mx/6xs.

The Whale: A Craft Beer Collective is teaming up with 12 Bones for a leap year beer dinner on Saturday, Feb. 29. The five-course pairing will feature exclusive and rare beers. Participants will also take home a 12 Bones and The Whale commemorative beer glass. Menu highlights include koji smoked shrimp and grits, a smoked salmon board and beef short ribs. 12 Bones Brewing Co. will supply Table Beer, Hazy IPA and Booty

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Shwarts; meanwhile, The Whale will supply Smoked Helles-Aecht Schlenkerla, Gueze Bouton and Bourbon Barrell Stout. Tickets are $80, including sales tax and gratuity. Seating is limited. The pairing runs 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at 12 Bones, 5 Foundry St. To purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/6xq.

Girls on the Run of WNC Noble Cider hosts its fifth annual chili cook-off on Sunday, March 1, to benefit Girls on the Run of WNC, a nonprofit that empowers girls through experiencebased activities that integrate running. All proceeds from the event support the nonprofit, and Noble Cider will also donate a percentage of its sales that day. This year’s chili categories include traditional, vegetarian and most creative. Tickets are $10 per person. Entry fee for competitors is $15. According to the Facebook event page, attendees are encouraged to come early, as chili typically runs out within the first hour. This event usually sells out. The cook-off runs 3-5 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at Noble Cider, 356 New Leicester Highway. For tickets, visit avl.mx/6xr.

The Ethical Meat Handbook On Monday, March 2, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe welcomes writer and

Ben Mixson, co-owner of White Duck Taco Shop, died on Feb. 17 while vacationing in Florida. At press time, the cause of his death was still under investigation. “This was a shock,” says Laura Reuss, Mixson’s former wife and ongoing business partner. The pair launched White Duck in 2011. “He was the person we all went to for guidance,” she says. The company has seven locations in three states with additional restaurants slated to open soon. Reuss will continue managing White Duck’s daily operations. “Some staff members will be elevated to other positions to help fill the giant hole that we have with the loss of Ben. That is what he would have wanted us to do,” she says. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the The WaterWheel Foundation.

Root Down Kitchen at Salvage Station Root Down Food Truck is launching a brick-and-mortar location, Root Down Kitchen, at Salvage Station on Riverside Drive. According to a recent press release, Root Down Kitchen will allow the food truck’s founder, Dano Holcomb, to expand on his classic training in country French and New Orleans cuisine. The eatery offers a rotating, seasonal menu, including a pulled pork sandwich with grilled pepper cheese, catfish po’boy with jalapeno-avocado tartar and crawfish poutine. Vegetarian-friendly options are also available, including a vegan sausage sandwich with grilled seitan and a black bean burger. Root Down Kitchen is inside Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Drive. For more information, visit avl.mx/6xx. X

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OPEN INVITATION

Hola Cultural Center offers a welcoming space

BY KAY WEST kswest55@comcast.net When Adriana Chavela emigrated from Mexico City to Hendersonville in 2003 — joining her parents who had lived there since 1996, when her father retired as a pilot for Aero Mexico — the resident Hispanic community was still very small. “There was one Mexican store on Four Seasons Boulevard,” she remembers. “But they didn’t have a carniceria or many of the things we needed. To get things to cook, we went to the La Unica Mexican store in Greenville once a week.” As the Hispanic community in Hendersonville grew, so did Chavela’s vision to nurture that growth and build bridges between immigrants and the existing community. In the freshly painted entry of the 100-yearold Ernest W. Ewbank home in Jackson Park, the center is now running with activities such as salsa and bachata dancing, folklore for adults and kids and different networking events. An open house will take place on Thursday, March 26. “The house hasn’t been used much over the years, so people who come to the park for walking and tennis have been stopping in and asking what is happening,” Chavela says. “When we tell them, they want to know when we will be open and how to be involved. They have been very welcoming.” The Hola Cultural Center is intended to provide a central, physical location where people from all cultures can connect through the arts. It will serve as an active partner in the educational, economic and cultural development of diverse groups of people in Western North Carolina. The timeline of the center can be traced to 2013. After two companies she worked for closed their Hendersonville offices, Chavela launched Hola Carolina magazine. “I had two kids on my own and no job. The idea for the magazine came to me in a dream, and I used my last $200 to put together a media kit,” she says. “I knocked on doors everywhere and sold the first copy in two weeks.” Hola Carolina was by no means an overnight success, but its exposure and influence spread when the magazine began sponsoring and producing Hendersonville’s International Children’s Day Festival in Jackson

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BIENVENIDO: Adriana Chavela, executive director of Hola Community Arts, moves into the building in Hendersonville’s Jackson Park that is now the Hola Cultural Center. Photo by Ron Stamey Park and creating new multicultural celebrations such as Fiesta Hendersonville in downtown Hendersonville and Hola Asheville in Pack Square Park. When applying for permits and soliciting sponsorships, Chavela was consistently asked if Hola Carolina was part of a nonprofit organization. The magazine did not, so she went to the Community Foundation of Henderson County for advice. “When Adriana asked us for help in starting a nonprofit to support some of the things she wanted to do, we pointed her in the direction of other groups doing similar things,” remembers McCray Benson, president and CEO. “They really took the reins and sought out similar groups and mentors.”

In 2017, Hola Community Arts was approved as a 501(c)(3), and, shortly after, applied for funding from the Community Grant Program. “[Organizers] started discussing having a cultural center, open for everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, race or background,” says Benson. “They envisioned a place to share not only culture but to educate and welcome diverse groups and support understanding across all groups. It felt like such a positive approach to things that have been challenging to communities and a medium in which we could look for how to be best neighbors and friends.”

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FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

A &E “After every festival, we had people come to us, asking where they could take a class in dance or folklore or cooking or language,” says Chavela. “They were so interested to learn more, and I would explain that we didn’t have a space. It became clear that what was needed was a permanent, physical space.” One day, when she and her husband, Ron Stamey, were driving through Jackson Park, they saw the Ewbank house and thought it might be a possibility. “We saw we might be able to accommodate some leased office space to them and asked them to make a proposal to present to the Board of Commissioners,” says Carleen Dixon, director of the Henderson County Parks and Recreation Department. “I think in every situation we work to embrace anyone who has an interest in using parks and our facilities to create partnerships to allow us to reach more people we may not otherwise. Those partnerships are a great asset to the community and its citizens.” Hola Community Arts received approval from the Board of Commissioners on Nov. 4. “It is exciting to have a place our volunteers can come as we plan festivals and where vendors can apply for space,” says Chavela. “We can do pre-festival meetings and a post-festival reception here to say ‘thank you.’” She points to Cocina Latina as a successful program of Hola Community Arts that can grow in the cultural center. “Cocina Latina started with a few single mothers who wanted to start food businesses but were cooking in unauthorized kitchens. They wanted to sell at our festivals, but we couldn’t allow it,” she explains. “One of our board members suggested we start a program with classes to teach the women how to do it in a regulated way. We brought in people from the health department, from insurance [companies] and Mountain BizWorks to teach them the business. We held the classes

in a church and other nonprofit spaces, and two of those women have started their own businesses. Now we can do the classes in our own place and help more women, and men, too.” Another office in the HCC is outfitted as a video production studio where Hola Carolina Arts and Hola Carolina magazine film videos for their social media platforms and that also will be available for use by community members. “I hope youths come together to use it, to create videos for their peers,” Chavela says. “At our festivals, we have volunteers from UNC Asheville and Warren Wilson College who work with young people from the immigrant community. They are the same age but have such different lives. Working together, they are both exposed to other worlds.” The first floor is shared space with the Parks and Recreation Department, and use of it must be scheduled through that agency. Chavela envisions the larger rooms being used for visual art exhibitions, live music and dance classes (some of which is already happening). “When we have our festivals, we try to bring everyone together. Not just the Latin culture but all the different people of the community, to show no one is alone,” says Chavela. “The family that donated this house to the county could not know that one day it would be the Hola Cultural Center, but I hope they would be proud of what we are doing.” X

WHAT Hola Cultural Center open house WHERE 801 4th Ave. East Hendersonville holacommunityarts.org WHEN Thursday, March 26, 5-8 p.m.

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Series

by Lauren Stepp

lstepp98@gmail.com

COMING BACK TO HAUNT YOU Podcast series ‘Palimpsest’ releases its third season

GHOST TOWN: After a yearlong hiatus, Hayley Heninger, left, and Jamieson Ridenhour have produced the third season of their spinetingling audio drama. Photo courtesy of Heninger and Ridenhour We’re often unreliable narrators of our own stories. That’s definitely the case for Josephine Waters, an American code breaker living in London during The Blitz. Recruited from her graduate program at Cornell University, Josie feels rightfully displaced amid the rubble caused by German airstrikes. And yet there is something different about her — a difference that drives the third season of the single-voiced audio drama, “Palimpsest.” “I saw a dead man this afternoon on my way home from the theater. I suppose that isn’t a big deal, not anymore,” narrates Josie, read by actor Hayley Heninger. “Except, as I stepped into the street to avoid the mess, the body sat up. That horribly misplaced head swung around toward me, casting off a cloud of dust. And he smiled. I wish it was the first time.” Just moments into the season’s first episode, Josie divulges

other encounters with the dead — a dashing soldier with a bullet hole just below his hairline and a small boy with skinned knees. She also reveals a certain mental instability that leaves listeners wondering if they should simply discredit her appeals altogether.

“I am fascinated by memories, and how they start and change,” says writer and producer Jamieson Ridenhour. To that end, listeners can seldom trust the narrators of “Palimpsest.” Their lies aren’t malicious, per se. “They’re just speaking their own truths,” says Heninger.

Josie’s truths are told in the form of letters written to her child, a baby carried to term and later put up for adoption. Increasingly aware of her mortality, the narrator undresses her inner psyche with unabashed frankness. “I just feel so helpless,” she laments, her monologue punctuated by civil defense sirens. (Composer Ian Ridenhour, the producer’s son who scored the series, incorporated a chilling montage of sound effects.) “The bombs are always falling. It feels like the world is ending, and there’s nothing I can do.” The effect is spine-tingling — a breathless soundscape for morning commutes and weekend errands. Jamieson Ridenhour, a horror writer who has produced psychological thrillers such as Grave Lullaby for The Magnetic Theatre, says this season departs from previous ones in its scope. While season one follows the character Anneliese through her sister’s death and season two divulges a queer fantasy, Josie’s story unpacks the history and horrors of a city at war. “The bombing of London during World War II excavated much of the city,” says Ridenhour. “And much of what those bombs dug up should’ve stayed buried.” Of course, there is a common thread connecting all narratives — a two-story home with a big oak tree and dilapidated swing. The house is a palimpsest, or something that has been overwritten imperfectly such that its underlying layers continue to shine through. Like poorly covered wallpaper, the home in “Palimpsest” withstands time and place, serving as a backdrop for all ghostly happenings. In effect, “the past erupts into the presents,” notes Ridenhour.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 34

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A &E He and Heninger plunged into the world of audio in 2017, just three months after meeting through the production of Ridenhour’s original play, Terry Tempest: The Final Interview, and bonding over a mutual appreciation of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Having never written episodically before, Ridenhour initially faltered in mastering the beat of a podcast. (Novels and plays generally don’t require as many hooks or endings.) But he soon found audio to be limitless, especially compared to the realism of live theater. “There are lots of bombings, and I can’t really do that onstage,” Ridenhour laughs. After two seasons, “Palimpsest” was put on hiatus while Heninger cared for her newborn, Florence. Exactly 375 days later, the writer-actor duo plunged back into “memory, identity and the things that haunt us.” Their creative process begins with a basic plot, courtesy of Ridenhour, that is soon fleshed out over cocktails at Post 70. One challenge is framing the single-voiced composition. In season one, listeners were privy to notes Anneliese wrote to her therapist. In season two, the narration switched to

a church confessional. Deciding on the current season’s format — letters to an abandoned child — required some character development. (And additional cocktails.) A Ph.D. candidate, Josie is analytical and practical. She is perhaps more perturbed by the shapelessness of her life in London than the ashen corpses that inexplicably come to life in her presence. Needless to say, understanding the complexities of Josie is an ongoing process for Heninger. “I’m now thinking through the filter of Josie,” she says. “I have to be in her headspace, otherwise I won’t believe what I’m saying.” Speaking of reliability, as season three unfolds, listeners become more and more skeptical of Josie’s ethos. A single question rides the coattails of each 20-minute episode: Should I believe what she’s saying? And that, says Ridenhour, is the beauty of an unreliable narrator. “Palimpsest” releases new episodes biweekly on Tuesdays. Visit thepalimpsestpodcast.com to listen. Episodes are also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, GooglePlay, Podchaser and Spotify. X

Xpress Poetry Contest Xpress announces a 2020 poetry contest in celebration of April as National Poetry Month. Poets are asked to submit work around the theme of a famous or noteworthy person/personality in Western North Carolina (e.g., moonshiner Popcorn Sutton, WLOS anchor Darcel Grimes, 2000-era City Council candidate and thong wearer Ukiah Morrison, community developer and pioneer Isaac Dickson). Poems should be no longer than one typed page in a 12-point font and must be previously unpublished.

The contest is currently open for submissions will close at midnight on Friday, March 20. Email the poem in the body of the message or as a Doc attachment to amarshall@mountainx.com. The subject line should read “Xpress poetry contest.” Include the author’s full name and contact information in the email. Only one submission is allowed per person. There is no cost to enter. A winning poem will be determined by a local poet of note, to be named soon. The winner will be published online and in print in our April 29 issue. The contest is not open to Xpress employees or freelance contributors.

Contact Alli Marshall at amarshall@mountainx.com with any questions. 34

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

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by Bill Kopp

bill@musoscribe.com

FORESEEABLE FUTURE

MORE THAN JUST PRETTY PICTURES: A photo from last year’s Art Affair, an annual auction and fundraising event in support of OpenDoors of Asheville, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering local youths through education. Muralist Daniel “Ishmael” Palenque is a key player in this year’s event, which takes place Feb. 29 at The Venue. Photo by Rachael Mcintosh Photography A thought-provoking, Ashevillebased visual artist is lending his skills in support of a fundraising event for a local nonprofit dedicated to helping students break the persistent cycle of poverty. The murals of Victor “Ishmael” Palenque are a prominent feature of the city’s visual iconography, and the message behind those murals dovetails with the goals of OpenDoors of Asheville. The nonprofit’s Art Affair: Look 2020 takes place Saturday, Feb. 29. OpenDoors celebrates and supports local students through its work, and the goal for this year’s fundraiser is $210,000, says Jen Ramming, the organization’s executive director. “All proceeds go to serve OpenDoors students and their families, and 100% of food and art is donated, among tons of other goods and services that make the event possible.” The Art Affair offers two ways to support the work of OpenDoors: a live auction for those in attendance and mobile bidding that allows anyone, anywhere, to get in on the action. A centerpiece of the items up for bid is what Ramming calls “an incredible, iconic piece” created by Palenque. Palenque is known for the Ishmael signature he affixes to his murals. Some of his work places the name as its central element. But nowhere does a mural explain what’s meant by the name — and that’s intentional on the part of the artist. “I knew that if I made it very clear, it wouldn’t cause that mystery,” Palenque says. “I wanted to make people look a little deeper.”

Such investigation reveals that Ishmael is the title of a 1992 novel by Daniel Quinn. The award-winning book explores the author’s concept of “new tribalism,” with a discussion of societal ethics, the threat of global catastrophe and hopes for a sustainable future. “Instead of pointing to symptoms, Ishmael is pointing to the sickness,” Palenque says, such as the manner in which food is made. “We’re starting to see how much industrial agriculture is the main culprit,” he says. Palenque says that Quinn’s novel is responsible for bringing him back to creativity. “In ’98, I was going to work for Verizon Wireless,” he recalls. “I read the book and kind of went crazy, back into being an artist. It was 1999 when I started to paint under that name.” His hope is that the enigmatic nature of his murals will lead people toward reading, understanding and acting upon Quinn’s ideas. Palenque shares the Ishmael author’s undercurrent of guarded optimism. “It’s time for adaptation more than stopping anything,” he says. “Now it’s time to adapt. And Quinn’s thinking is that it’s humanity’s next great adventure.” That concern for the big picture, combined with an optimistic spirit, lines up with OpenDoors’ mission, says Ramming. “Quinn’s books dig deep to offer solutions to huge global problems,” she says. “We hope to help our students and families do the same on a much smaller scale, always question-

The art of Ishmael is featured at OpenDoors Art Affair fundraiser

ing entrenched societal norms and assumptions about what is possible and what their potential really is.” Ramming says that OpenDoors uses education as a means of breaking the cycle of poverty. “And this is no small task, being that poverty stems from countless inequities and imbalances of power for children, especially children of color,” she says. “We take great inspiration from thought leaders, including local artists like Ishmael and author Daniel Quinn.” Several student projects will be showcased at the Art Affair. One, “Rocks in the Backpack,” involves youths working with Palenque to make stylized “rocks” representing the burdens faced by kids coming from underresourced homes, Ramming says. “Each rock has words that help illustrate barriers such as inadequate transportation, food deserts, undiagnosed dyslexia and violence,” she explains. “These giant artistic rocks will be carried around by performers for all guests to see.”

“Art has always been used like an antenna to communicate with the masses,” Palenque says. “As artists, sometimes it’s our job to try to tell the story of what we’re going through and what we see. We can bring some information to help the culture move forward, give options and open people’s eyes. So, that’s the way I’ve used art: as a tool.” He adds, “It’s not just pretty pictures. Sometimes there’s a story that needs to be told.” X

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WHAT OpenDoors Art Affair: Look 2020 WHERE The Venue 21 N. Market St. avl.mx/6xu WHEN Saturday, Feb. 29, 8 p.m. $125

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

SMART BETS

A&E

by Edwin Arnaudin | Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com

MAR

Progressive jazz in the round While membership in the improvised music scene is decidedly low compared to other genres, those in its ranks tend to band together more so than most artists. Such is the case for Kenosha Kid of Athens, Ga.; Charlotte-based Ghost Trees; and Asheville’s own Shane Parish and Sean Dail Duo. Over the course of the final weekend in February, the three groups will hunker down in each others’ hometowns and share their particular brands of progressive jazz with those assembled. The local installment takes place Friday, Feb. 28, at Fleetwood’s, where the bands will perform round-robin style, sharing two songs apiece before yielding the stage to the next ensemble. The event begins at 8 p.m. $8 general admission/$10 for 21 and younger. fleetwoodschapel.com. Photo of the Shane Parish and Sean Dail Duo courtesy of the musicians

Originally from Lima, Peru, Mar Perez-Albela is a nonbinary, bilingual singer-songwriter/producer who’s been in the music industry for more than 13 years. His work blends elements of indie, pop and folk from both American continents, hopping between English and Spanish lyrics to spotlight the beauty of his two languages. Currently based in Asheville, where he works at the Asheville Music School, Mar has assembled a band composed of fellow teaching artists for a show celebrating the release of his new EP, I Am I, on Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts’ Tina McGuire Theater. Beginning at 8 p.m., he’ll be joined by Gabrielle Tee (keys), Kylie Irvin (trombone/ backing vocals), Andy John (bass/ cello/steel guitar) and Phil Alley (guitar), plus guest appearances from Charles Furtado (percussion) and Elizabeth McCorvey (violin), for a night that strives to celebrate “collaboration, honesty and togetherness.” $16. dwtheatre.com. Photo courtesy of MAR

Shapeshifters

Dan Deacon

Regional artists Joshua Adams and Jiha Moon come from disparate backgrounds, yet both gravitate toward masks to convey their points of view. Cherokee-based Adams, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, creates large, decorative masks carved from wood and other materials to help illuminate tribal traditions. Meanwhile, the Korean-born, Atlanta-based Moon makes paintings, knotted ornaments (norigae), tal (masks) and other works to blur the lines between her native country’s folk iconography, popular representations of Asian identity and symbols of Southern culture. The two artists’ pieces are united in the show Shapeshifters, currently on display at the Center for Craft. The exhibition runs through Friday, March 27, when there will be a closing reception and artist-led tour. Free to attend. centerforcraft.org. Photo of Moon by Jamie Hopper

A veteran of multiple Asheville Moogfests, Dan Deacon has spent the last few years expanding his musical repertoire. Over that time, the Baltimore-based electronic musician and experimental composer scored eight films, collaborated on a dance piece and fleshed out his arrangements with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Now he’s back with Mystic Familiar, his first vocal album since 2015’s Gliss Riffer. The sonic roller coaster is full of layered, synth-heavy sounds and marks the first collection to feature Deacon’s natural singing voice, unprocessed and with minimal accompaniment. He’ll share new tracks and more on Saturday, Feb. 29, at The Grey Eagle, where Nervous Dupre gets things started at 8 p.m., followed by Deacon’s longtime collaborators and tour mates, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat. $18 advance/$22 day of show. thegreyeagle.com. Photo by Frank Hamilton

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

MOUNTAINX.COM

A & E CALENDAR ART AVL SOCIAL SKETCH • MO (3/2), 6-9pm - Bimonthly night of drawing, sketching, collaborating and socializing with other creatives of all ages and skill levels. Free to attend. Held at Odd's Cafe, 800 Haywood Road LEICESTER COMMUNITY ART NIGHTS • 1st TUESDAYS, 6:30pm - Community art night for children and adults. Free. Held at Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester THE PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY • Fourth TUESDAYS, 10am - Volunteer to knit or crochet prayer shawls for community members in need. Free. Held at Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville

ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS BREVARD’S 4TH FRIDAY GALLERY WALK • 4th FRIDAYS, 5-8pm Brevard 4th Friday gallery walk with open galleries, art stores, restaurants, live music and refreshments. Free to attend. Held in Downtown Brevard Held at Transylvania Community Arts Council, 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard PENLAND OPEN HOUSE • SA (2/29), 1-5pm - Art and craft school open house with hands on activities for all ages. Food available for purchase. Free. Held at Penland School of Crafts, 67 Doras Trail, Bakersville

AUDITIONS & CALL TO ARTISTS ASHEVILLE GALLERY OF ART • Until MO (3/9), 5:30pm - 2D artists interested in joining the gallery complete documents and deliver original works. ashevillegallery-of-art.com Held at Asheville Gallery of Art, 82 Patton Ave.

DANCE LEARN HOW TO DANCE! BALLROOM, SWING, TWO-STEP & MORE (PD.) Enjoy learning with a Certified Instructor. Contact Richard: 828-333-0715, naturalrichard@mac.com, www.DanceForLife.net FLAMENCO CLASSES • FRIDAYS, 7pm Flamenco for adults at all levels. Information: 786-327-9548. $14/class or $50/month. Held at In His Steps Dance Ministry, 159 Church St.

MUSIC A CAPELLA SINGING (PD.) WANNA SING? ashevillebarbershop.com DAMSELFLY TRIO • TH (2/27), 7pm - Damselfly Trio, concert featuring three works by BMC alumna Ursula Mamlok. $8/ Free for members. Held at Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St. DONNY EDWARDS AS ELVIS • WEDNESDAY through FRIDAY (3/4) until (3/6) Donny Edwards performs as Elvis. Wed. & Thurs.: 2pm. Thurs.: 7:30pm. Fri.: 8pm. $34 and up. Held at Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Highway 225, Flat Rock LAURA BOOSINGER & JOSH GOFORTH • TH (2/27), 7pm - Laura Boosinger and Josh Goforth, Appalachian music concert. Free to attend. Held at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 789 Merrimon Ave. MAR EP RELEASE SHOW • SA (2/29), 8pm - Mar, indie/pop/folk concert and Release party. $16. Held at Tina McGuire Theatre, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave. MUSIC AT WCU 828-227-2479, bardoartscenter.wcu.edu • MO (3/2), 7pm - Berea Bluegrass Ensemble, concert. Free. Held at Western Carolina University, Coulter Building, Cullowhee • TH (3/5), 7pm - Andrew Finn Magill, fiddler. Free. Held at Western Carolina

University, Coulter Building, Cullowhee • TH (3/5), 7:30pm - John Brown Big Band, big band jazz ensemble concert. $15/$5 students. Held at The WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee OLE TYME PICKERS FOR FRIDAY BLUEGRASS • FR (2/28), 7-9pm - Ole Tyme Pickers, bluegrass and country music concert. Free. Held at Etowah Lions Club, 447 Etowah School Road, Hendersonville REVOLVE SOUND: NAT BALDWIN WITH OKAPI • WE (3/4), 8-10pm Revolve Sound: Concert featuring Nat Baldwin and Okapi. $10. Held at Revolve, 821 Riverside Drive, #179 SCHUMANN QUARTET • FR (2/28), 8pm - The Schumann Quartet, concert with works by Mozart, Debussy, and Mendelssohn. $40/Free for students. Held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place THE ASHEVILLE ART TRIO • SU (3/1), 4-6pm - The Asheville Art Trio, jazz piano concert. $10. Held at All Souls Cathedral, 9 Swan St. UKE JAM • WE (2/26), 3:30pm Ukelele jam. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville WOMANSONG OF ASHEVILLE • MONDAYS, 7-9pm - Community chorus rehearsals open to potential members. Free. Held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place WORTHAM CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 18 Biltmore Ave., 828-2574530, worthamarts.org • FR (2/28), 8pm - Dreamers’ Circus, concert. $20 and up. • TH (3/5), 8pm - Derina Harvey Band, concert. $20 and up.

SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-2546734, malaprops.com

• WE (2/26), 6pm - Lee Matalone presents Home Making, in conversation with Erica Witsell. Free to attend. • TH (2/27), 6pm - Jacob Paul presents Last Tower to Heaven, in conversation with Jessica Jacobs. Free to attend. • TH (2/27), 7pm - Works in Translation Book Club’s pick is Rouse Up O Young Men of the New Age! by Kenzaburo Oe, translated by John Nathan. • SU (3/1), 3pm - Poetrio, poetry reading featuring Esteban Rodríguez, Jeanne Larsen and Catherine Carter. Free to attend. • TU (3/3), 6pm - Reading Group Choices, discussion about book choices for reading groups. Free to attend. • WE (3/4), 6pm - Andrea L. Dennis presents her book, Rap on Trial: Race, Lyrics, and Guilt in America. Free to attend. NC WRITERS’ NETWORK • TH (2/6), 6-7:30pm - NC Writers’ Network Writers’ Social: discussion of publishing, followed by writing in place. Free. Held at The BLOCK off biltmore, 39 S. Market St.

The

Okay. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St.

THEATER 'A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM' • FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS until (3/1) - A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, musical. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 2pm. $32/$27 students/$22 youth. Held at Hendersonville Community Theatre, 229 S. Washington St., Hendersonville 'BRIGHT STAR' • THURSDAY through SUNDAY (3/5) until (3/8) - Bright Star, musical. Thurs.-Sat.: 7:30pm. Sat.: 2:30pm. Sun.: 3pm. $25/$12 student. Held at Tryon Little Theater, 516 S. Trade St., Tryon 'CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES' • THURSDAYS through SUNDAYS (3/5) until (3/15) - Church Basement

Ladies, musical. Thurs.-Sat.: 7:30pm. Sat. & Sun.: 2:30pm. $25 and up. Held at Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre, 44 College St., Mars Hill

Sustainability Series

April 1, 8, 15 and 22

'HEDDA GABLER' • TH through SU (2/27) until (3/1) - Hedda Gabler, production by TheatreUNCA. Thurs. - Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 2pm. $12/$7 students. Held at Belk Theatre, UNC Asheville, One University Heights ‘THE FANTASTICKS’ • FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS until (3/1) - The Fantasticks, romcom musical. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm, Sun.: 2:30pm. $26-$30. Held at Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St. ‘YOUR FEET'S TOO BIG CABARET’ • SA (2/29), 7pm - Your Feet's Too Big Cabaret, featuring MK Penley and Andre Ellerby. $30. Held at The Center for Art & Entertainment, 125 S. Main St., Hendersonville

NEW DIMENSIONS TOASTMASTERS • THURSDAYS, noon1pm - General meeting. Information: 828-3294190. Free to attend. Held at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, 33 Meadow Road POLITICAL PRISONER LETTERS • First SUNDAYS, 5pm - Letter writing to political prisoners. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road.

BUBBLE & OYSTER THURSDAYS

RIDGEFIELD TOASTMASTERS • FR (2/28), noon-1pm Ridgefield Toastmasters meeting to learn how to conquer the fear of public speaking and become a better communicator. Information: avl.mx/6ye. Free. Held at Paramount Kia, 1000 Ridgefield Blvd. SATUR-YAY BOOK CLUB: 'DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY' • SA (2/29), 3:30pm Satur-YAY Book Club: Darius The Great Is Not

828-350-0315

SMOKYPARK .COM MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

CLUBLAND

Local

RIDE ON: The annual fundraiser Bike Love kicks off at Isis Music Hall on Saturday, Feb. 29, with a raffle and silent auction, all in support of Asheville on Bikes’ goal to provide multimodal transportation infrastructure to the community. Musical performances that evening will be by DJ Jut Rut and Hot Sun (featuring Jamar Woods and Jamie Hendrickson of the Fritz, with Stephanie Morgan of Pink Mercury, Paul Gladstone of Ashley Heath and Her Heathens and Matt Shuler of Zapato). The Saturday event starts at 8 p.m. $25 advance tickets available at local bike shops (complete list on ashevilleonbikes.com)/$30 day of show. isisasheville.com. Photo courtesy of AoB

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 12 BONES BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM 185 KING STREET NC Songsmiths - Taylor Martin, 8:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Les Amis, (African folk music), 8:00PM ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Karaoke w/ Kari - Okay, 9:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR AGB Open Mic Showcase, 6:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesday with The Lonesome Doves and Heavenly Vipers & Honky Tonk DJ, 9:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Bad Taste Cinema, 8:00PM FUNKATORIUM Grass at the Funk feat. the Saylor Brothers, 4:00PM HAPPY BODY Embodied Wisdom: Finding Support from Within, 5:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesday, 6:00PM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

MOUNTAINX.COM

OLE SHAKEY'S Sexy Tunes w/ DJ Franco Nino, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Oscar (Bachatta, Merengue, Salsa), 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Todd Snider w/ Lilly Hiatt, 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. FBVMA Mountain Music Jam, 6:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Freaks & Follies, A Uniquely Asheville Variety Show, 7:00PM Weird Wednesday Jam, 9:00PM SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night hosted by Jason DeCristofaro, 6:30PM SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ Caleb Beissert, 8:00PM STATIC AGE RECORDS Human Pelt, Bbigpigg, Mouthbreathers, 9:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 The CarLeans, 7:00PM Rich Nelson Band, 8:30PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Feel the Bern! Brainstorming for Bernie & Bernie Jam, (all musicians welcome), 7:00PM

ODDITORIUM Penny, Space Grandma, R. Hundo, 8:00PM

THE CASUAL PINT Friends Trivia Night, 7:00PM

THE GOLDEN FLEECE Scots-Baroque Chamber-Folk w/ the Tune Shepherds, 7:00PM

BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER Damselfly Trio, 7:00PM

THE GREY EAGLE Blow Up Your Tv Pop Up Showcase, 8:30PM

BOOJUM BREWING COMPANY WCC Debut Comedy Showcase, 8:00PM

THE MOTHLIGHT Nordista Freeze w/ Tongues of Fire, State Park Ranger, 8:30PM

CROW & QUILL Big Dawg Slingshots (western swing), 10:00PM

THE SOCIAL LOUNGE Live Music Wednesdays, 9:00PM

DOUBLE CROWN Gospel Night w/ The Vizionaires, 9:00PM

URBAN ORCHARD Irish Session One Year Anniversary w/ Andrew Finn Magil & Will MacMorran, 7:00PM

FLEETWOOD'S Vinyl Night, 7:00PM

WILD WING CAFE SOUTH Showers on Mars, 8:30PM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Pleasure Chest, (blues, rock, soul), 8:00PM ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Midnight Dance Party, 12:00AM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Will Ray and the Space Cooties, 7:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Passafire, Bumpin Uglies & Joey Harkum, 8:00PM BELK THEATRE, UNC ASHEVILLE Hedda Gabler, 7:30PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tui, 7:00PM Americana Rising: An Evening in the Round w/Nashville’s Josh Gray, Jason Erie and John Dennis, 8:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Vinyl Night Free Tastings, 7:00PM MAD CO BREWING Trivia Night, 7:00PM ODDITORIUM Party Foul Drag Circus (drag), 8:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/ DJ Franco Nino, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Mitch's Totally Rad Trivia Night, 6:00PM Seed Collective Reggae Jam Night, 10:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Lenny Pettinelli, 9:00PM

BLOW UP YOUR TV POP-UP SERIES

WED

26 ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: One World Family Band Jam, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Slice Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM PULP Slice Comedy Open Mic, 9:00AM PACK'S TAVERN Jessie Barry & Jeff Anders, 8:00PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Fwuit, 7:00PM POLANCO RESTAURANT Pop Up DJ Dinners w/ DJ Phantome Pantone Collective, 10:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Carrie Morrison, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Rest In Pierce feat Xenotype, 8:00PM SOVEREIGN KAVA Hip Hop Night, 9:00PM STATIC AGE RECORDS In-store at Static Age Records w/ Laura Lee & the Escapees, 9:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Celebrate S. Roland's Birthday w/ DJ Twan, 10:00PM THE BARRELHOUSE Ter-rific Trivia: Big Lebowski Theme Night, 7:00PM THE CASUAL PINT Xtreme Music Bingo, 7:00PM

THE SOCIAL LOUNGE Live Music Thursdays, 9:00PM

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Hidden Rivers Film Screening, 7:00PM

TOWN PUMP In Flight, 9:00PM UNC ASHEVILLE BELK THEATRE TheatreUNCA Presents Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler”, 12:00AM

CAPELLA ON 9 @ THE AC HOTEL DJ Dance Party w/ Phantom Pantone DJ Collective, 9:00PM

UNC ASHEVILLE SHERRILL CENTER The Odyssey Project: The Journey Home - Challenging the Glorification of Colonialism, 7:00PM

CORK & KEG One Leg Up, 8:30PM

CROW & QUILL Queen Bee & the Honeylovers (Swing & Latin Jazz), 9:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Shane Parrish, Ghost Trees, Kenoshakid, 8:00PM GINGER'S REVENGE Vaden Landers Trio (Hillbilly Swing), 7:30PM HOPEY & CO The Mic is Open hosted by Heather Taylor, 7:00PM

THU

27 FRI

28 SAT

29 SUN

W/ PINK BEDS, SOUS SOL

PAUL THORN

WED

W/ DARRIN BRADBURY

OPEN MIC NIGHT GUTTER DEMONS W/ VIVA LE VOX

THU

DAN DEACON W/ ED SCHRADER’S MUSIC

THE LOST CHORD: MOODY BLUES TRIBUTE BAND

FRI

TRIGGER HIPPY

TWEED

SAT

DAR WILLIAMS

W/ WOVENHAND

BEAT, NERVOUS DUPRE

W/ IN FLIGHT, ELECTROCHEMICAL

W/ RICH NELSON BAND

W/ HEATHER MALONEY

Asheville’s longest running live music venue • 185 Clingman Ave TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HARVEST RECORDS & THEGREYEAGLE.COM

WILD WING CAFE SOUTH BNI Southside Meeting, 11:45AM Acoustic Karaoke!, 10:00PM

WEEKLY EVENTS! UPCOMING SHOWS:

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28

WEST ASHEVILLE

185 KING STREET The Get Right Band at 185 King Mardi Gras!, 8:00PM

FEB 29

BREW DAVIS

SHOW 7PM

ALBUM RELEASE PARTY W/ BRIT DROZDA

FEB 29

DOORS 7PM

WORTHWHILE SOUNDS PRESENTS:

SHOW 8PM

27 CLUB Delicious, 10:00PM

DOORS 7PM

DOORS 6PM

MAR 5 MAR 6

5 WALNUT WINE BAR Back South, (roots rock), 9:00PM

DOORS 7PM

ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Live Music Mikka Tyler w/ Special Guest Mikey Vasquez, 9:00PM

MAR 7

DOORS 7PM

MAR 8

FREEKBASS

WORTHWHILE SOUNDS PRESENTS:

MAR 5

SHOW 8PM

ALVIN YOUNGBLOOD HART MAR 6 WORTHWHILE SOUNDS PRESENTS:

TUESDAY: FLOW NIGHT 9PM WEDNESDAY: LATIN DANCE NIGHT 9PM THURSDAY: JAM NIGHTONE WORLD FAMILY BAND 1ST THURS.- KAIZEN 9PM DOWNTOWN MONDAY: OPEN MIC/ 1ST MONDAYONE WORLD ONE MIC SONGWRITING CONTEST 8PM

SHOW 8PM

THAT 1 GUY

MAR 7

WILL OVERMAN

SHOW 8PM

W/ MAGGIE VALLEY BAND

MONDAY: JAZZ NIGHT 8:30PM

TUESDAY: JACK PEARSON’S COMEDY COSMOS 9PM

MAR 8

TICKETS SOLD HERE:

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Mr. Jimmy hosts The Big City Blues Jam, 8:00PM

W W W. A M B R O S E W E S T.C O M BOX OFFICE S: T HE HO NE Y P O T

THE GREY EAGLE Paul Thorn w/ Darrin Bradbury, 9:00PM

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL K.L.O, Duffrey, Soul Candy & Opulence, 9:30PM

THE MOTHLIGHT Wye Oak w/ Ohmme at The Mothlight, 9:00PM

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy jazz), 6:00PM

THIS WEEK AT AVL MUSIC HALL & THE ONE STOP!!!

BELK THEATRE, UNC ASHEVILLE Hedda Gabler, 7:30PM

MON

DADDY’S BEEMER

BOOK YOUR WEDDING OR EVENT NOW: 828.332.3090 312 HAYWOOD ROAD

THURSDAY: LENNY PETTINELLI 9PM SUNDAY: BLUEGRASS JAM 9PM WAVL- 520 HAYWOOD RD. DOWNTOWN- 10 PATTON AVE.

www.oneworldbrewing.com

FEEL THE BEAT! FEEL THE BERN!

Passafire,

WED, 2/26 - SHOW: 5: 30-9 pm FREE ALL AGES

THU, 2/27 - SHOW: 8pm (DOORS: 7pm ) - 18+ ADV. TICKETS: $15

Bumpin Uglies & Joey Harkum

K.L.O

In Business

Stella Blue & AMH present

SAT, 2/28 - SHOW: 9: 30 pm (DOORS: 9 pm ) ADV. TICKETS: $16

FRI, 2/28 - MUSIC: 10 pm [FUNK] DONATION BASED COVER

SAT, 2/29 - SHOW: 9 pm (DOORS: 8 pm ) ADV. TICKETS: $20

w/ Duffrey, Soul Candy & Opulence

weedeater &

The Goddamn Gallows

Audacity Brass Band

SAT, 2/29 - MUSIC: 10 pm [BRASS] DONATION BASED COVER

LOCAL THURSDAY SHUFFLE - 10pm

Free Dead Friday - 5pm

SUN

Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia - 6:30pm

FRI

disclaimer comedy - 9:30pm

THU

Tuesday Early Jam - 8PM Tuesday Night Funk Jam - 10PM Electrosoul Session - 11:30PM

WED

TUE

3/6 - Marley Carroll • 3/7 - Fruition w/ Katie Toupin • 3/14 - Psymbionic + Zeebler Encanti Experience • 3/20 - Zach Deputy w/ April B & the Cool • 3/21 - Random Rab & The Renumbra Liv Band • 3/22 - Ghost Light World Famous Bluegrass Brunch - 10:30am-3pm Shakedown Sundays - 4pm-7pm MOUNTAINX.COM

@AVLMusicHall @OneStopAVL

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

C LUBLAND ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio, 7:00PM Lucy Kaplansky, 8:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Asheville Release Party: The Kyle Lacy Band, 9:00PM

WED 2 / 26 7PM– THE CARLEANS 8:30PM– RICH NELSON BAND

T HU 2 / 27 7PM– TUI 8:30PM– AMERICANA RISING: WITH NASHVILLE’S JOSH GRAY, JASON ERIE & JOHN DENNIS

F RI 2 / 28 7:00PM– HEATHER PIERSON ACOUSTIC TRIO

LAZOOM ROOM Modelface Comedy Presents Totally Exhausted Women Night One, 7:30PM MAD CO BREW HOUSE Planefolk Duo, 6:00PM

8:00PM– BIKE LOVE 2020 PRES. BY INDUSTRY NINE

SUN 3 /1 6:00PM– GURF MORLIX 7:30PM– GREENVILLE JAZZ COLLECTIVE BIG BAND FEAT. VOCALIST TISH ONEY

T UE 3 / 3 7:30PM– TUESDAY BLUEGRASS SESSIONS W/ KEN CHAPPLE AND ANOTHER COUNTRY

WED 3 /4 7:00PM– NEFESH MOUNTAIN 8:30PM– TOM RUSH ACCOMPANIED BY MATT NAKOA

T HU 3 / 5 7:00PM– PIPER & CARSON

F RI 3 /6 7:00PM– STEFF MAHAN

8:30PM– BAD GIRLS & THE ALIENS OF SOUL DANCE PARTY

SAT 3 / 7 7PM– BROOKS WILLIAMS WORKING MY CLAIM: 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

8:30PM– CHE APALACHE DINNER MENU TIL 9:30PM LATE NIGHT MENU TIL 12AM BRUNCH 10-2 SUNDAY ONLY

TUES-SUN 5PM-until

743 HAYWOOD RD | 828-575-2737 40

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

MOUNTAINX.COM

THE BARRELHOUSE Ben Phan, 7:00PM THE CASUAL PINT Vinyl Night, 7:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Om w/ Wovenhand, 9:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Dance Party feat. Phantom Pantone, 10:00PM

ODDITORIUM Asheville After Dark Presents: Perversions (Kink Night), 8:00PM

THE MOTHLIGHT Bobby Bare Jr. w/ Jive Mother Mary at The Mothlight, 8:30PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Fridays feat. members of Phuncle Sam (acoustic), 5:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Mary Kenyon, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Sidecar Honey Duo, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Of Montreal & Lily's Band & Bobagem, 9:00PM PACK MEMORIAL LIBRARY - LORD AUDITORIUM Black History Month Movie Matinee Series, 1:00PM PACK'S TAVERN DJ PointFive, 9:30PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Brady Jacquin, 7:00PM RUSTIC GRAPE WINE BAR Thomas Kozac (singer/songwriter), 7:00PM

ISISASHEVILLE.COM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Protest Garden Brothers Circus, 2:00PM One Love Bob Marley Tribute & Jamaican Reggae Culture Mix, 9:00PM

NEW BELGIUM BREWERY Ross Livermore, 5:30PM

OLE SHAKEY'S Friday After Work Concert Series, 5:00PM RuPaul's Drag Race Screening, 8:00PM

8:30PM– LUCY KAPLANSKY SAT 2 / 29

STATIC AGE RECORDS Party w/ DJs, 9:30PM

SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Progressive Alliance Postcard Parties, 4:30PM Wyatt Espalin, 8:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE LeapYear: Witch Party, emotiongeneral, Top Chef, Weird God, 9:00PM SOVEREIGN KAVA GruntWerk, 9:00PM

TOWN PUMP Georgia Dish Boys, 9:00PM UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF ASHEVILLE Schumann Quartet, 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Minos the Saint, 7:30PM WILD WING CAFE SOUTH A Social Function Acoustic, 9:00PM WORTHAM CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Dreamer's Circus, 8:00PM ZAMBRA Jason Moore (jazz), 7:00PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29 185 KING STREET Lindsay Lou, 8:00PM 27 CLUB LEAP YEAR Lunacy at 27 Club, 7:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Chris Jamison’s Ghost, (Americana), 9:00PM AMBROSE WEST Brew Davis Album Release Party w/ Brit Drozda, 7:00PM ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Dance Party w/ DJ Lil Meow Meow, 10:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR The Travelling Pilsburys, 8:00PM

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Stella Blue & Asheville Music Hall present Weedeater & The Goddamn Gallows, 9:00PM

SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Matt Walsh & The Movers, 8:00PM

APPALACHIAN PINBALL MUSEUM Pinball Extravaganza, 6:00PM

SOVEREIGN KAVA Trivia Night, 6:00PM

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Pimps of Pompe Sundays (Gypsy jazz hip-hop), 7:00PM

STATIC AGE RECORDS Sane Voids, Parlor Pinks, Harriers of Discord, 9:00PM

ARCHETYPE BREWING Post-Brunch Blues, 4:00PM

BELK THEATRE, UNC ASHEVILLE Hedda Gabler, 7:30PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE CommUNITY Salsa and Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Edi Fuentes (Salsa lesson w/ Emily Hamilton at 9PM), 9:30PM

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Drop It Like It's Hot Cider, 11:00AM BOOJUM BREWING COMPANY DJ Point 5, 9:00PM

THE CENTER FOR ART & ENTERTAINMENT Your Feet's Too Big Cabaret, 7:00PM

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Pimps of Pompe Sundays (Gypsy jazz hip-hop), 7:00PM BELK THEATRE, UNC ASHEVILLE Hedda Gabler, 2:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Eric Congdon & Hope Griffin, 3:00PM

THE GREY EAGLE Dan Deacon, 9:00PM

CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING ASHEVILLE Sunday Celebration of Life, 11:00AM

CORK & KEG Zydeco Ya Ya, 8:30PM

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Mr Jimmy Power Trio, 7:00PM

CROW & QUILL Sundays Are A Drag Local Drag Variety Show, 10:00PM

CROW & QUILL Sirius B. (World Music dance party), 9:00PM

THE MOTHLIGHT BEX w/ It Looks Sad., Computer Science, 8:30PM

FLEETWOOD'S Modelface Comedy at Fleetwood's: Cherith Fuller, 8:00PM

FLEETWOOD'S Greg Cartwright, Pleasure Chest, Garett Hatch, 8:00PM

THE SOCIAL LOUNGE DJ StrongMagnumOpus, 10:00PM

GINGER'S REVENGE Taylor Martin (alley cat country), 2:30PM

TINA MCGUIRE THEATRE, WORTHAM CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Mar "I Am I" EP Release Show, 8:00PM

FUNKATORIUM An Afternoon of Bluegrass feat. Gary "Macfiddle" Mackey, 1:00PM

CONUNDRUM SPEAKEASY & INTRIQUE LOUNGE The Gypsy Guitars, 7:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Bike Love 2020 presented by Industry Nine w/ tunes by The Hot Sun & DJ Jut Rut, 8:00PM LAZOOM ROOM Modelface Comedy Presents Totally Exhausted Women (Night Two), 9:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Tall Juan (Cumbia/ Punk) and Shaken Nature (psych rock), 9:00PM NORTH BUNCOMBE MIDDLE SCHOOL Chilly Challenge 8K Race & 1-Mile Fun Run & Chili Cook-off, 10:00AM ODDITORIUM Bears Bearthday Bash Punk Bands, 8:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: DB3, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Gary Gulman: Peace Of Mind Tour, 8:00PM PACK'S TAVERN The Rewind Band (classic hits, rock), 9:30PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Ben Phantom, 7:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE Citizen Mojo, 8:00PM

TOWN PUMP The Karma Mechanics, 9:00PM TWISTED LAUREL DJ Dance Party w/ Phantom Pantone DJ Collective (rotating DJ's), 11:00PM WXYZ BAR AT ALOFT Heather Taylor (folk singer, songwriter), 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble, 8:00PM WILD WING CAFE Karaoke, 9:30PM WILD WING CAFE SOUTH Appalachian Renegades, 9:00PM ZAMBRA Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy jazz), 7:00PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 185 KING STREET Open Electric Jam feat. Howie Johnson, 6:00PM 27 CLUB Hilliary's Bodacious Comedy Show, 9:00PM

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Conscious Brews 2020, 1:00PM Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 2:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Gurf Morlix, 6:00PM Greenville Jazz Collective Big Band featuring vocalist Tish Oney, 7:30PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Anya Hinkle & Tellico, 7:00PM

MONDAY, MARCH 2 185 KING STREET Karaoke Night, 7:30PM 27 CLUB Monday Mayhem Karaoke, 9:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Old Time Jam, 6:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Workshop: Applying to Comedy Festivals, 7:00PM ODDITORIUM Risqué Monday Burlesque Hosted by Deb Au Nare, 8:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Karaoke From Muskogee, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Open Mic Night, 8:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Jazz Jam, 12:00AM ORANGE PEEL PULP presents Roqit, 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Open Mic Night - It Takes All Kinds - Sanctuary Brewing Company, 7:00PM

ODDITORIUM Tinderbox Sideshow, 8:00PM

STATIC AGE RECORDS Film Premieres & Music TBA! Estranged & Room 4: The Documentary, 9:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL World Famous Bluegrass Brunch, 10:30AM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Ambiguous Roots, Soul Jam feat. Jamar Woods, 9:00PM

PULP PULP presents American Theory & Fortezza, 7:00PM

THE GREY EAGLE Open Mic Night at The Grey Eagle, 6:00PM

STATIC AGE RECORDS The Excitable Boys, 8:00PM THE BARRELHOUSE Open Mic Night, 6:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Tweed w/ In Flight + Electrochemical at The Grey Eagle, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Weekend Wrap Party feat. Phantom Pantone Collective, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT 20/20 Vision Victory Party!, 4:00PM

TAVERN Downtown on the Park Eclectic Menu • Over 30 Taps • Patio 15 TV’s • Sports Room • 110” Projector Event Space • Shuffleboard Open 7 Days 11am - Late Night LIVE M R A COV USIC , E V E N ER CHARGE!

THU. 2/27 Jessie Barry & Jeff Anders (acoustic rock)

THE MOTHLIGHT Free Monday! Anywhere From Here,The Spiral, Tan Universe, 8:30PM

FRI. 2/28 DJ PointFive (dance hits, pop)

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Local Live w/ Michael Flynn, Tin Roof, Echoes & host Jay Brown, 7:00PM

SAT. 2/29 The Rewind House Band (classic hits, rock)

TUESDAY, MARCH 3 ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Open Mic & Live Podcast, 8:00PM

20 S. Spruce St. • 225.6944 packStavern.com MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

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FREE Parking on Eagle/Charlotte Streets 39 S. Market St. • 254-9277

17 Taps & Domestics • Nightly Drink Specials

FULL KITCHEN • TIKI BAR AWARD-WINNING WING SPECIALS Sun., Tue., Wed. & Thur. • 6-8Pm

Mon-Thur 4pm-2am • Fri-Sun 2pm-2am 87 Patton Ave – Downtown Asheville

CHOMPING AT THE BIT: California-based independent label, Burger Records, is throwing its 8th annual Burger Revolution World Wide Party. The collaboration includes concerts thrown in Albany, N.Y.; Monterey, Calif.; Nashville and other locales, featuring rock, grunge and metal artists. The Asheville showcase includes performances by Fashion Bath, Rocky MTN Roller, Honeycutt, Hug (pictured), Styrofoam Turtles and State Park Ranger. Burgers (veggie options included) will be available by donation. Fleetwood’s hosts Burger Records Revolution 8 Party on Saturday, March 7, at 5 p.m. $8/$10 for those younger than 21. fleetwoodschapel.com. Photo courtesy of the band

ARCHETYPE BREWING Tango Class & Milonga Dance w/ Mary Morgan, Eric Knoche & Stanley Dankoski, 7:00PM ASHEVILLE CLUB BluesDay Tuesday w/ Mr Jimmy, 6:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Classical Guitar, 8:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 10:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Tacos & Trivia, 4:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Moon Kissed, Sleepy Poetry, State Park Ranger, 8:30PM HAYWOOD COUNTRY CLUB Turntable Tuesdays hosted by VTT, 10:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions hosted by Ken Chapple and Another Country, 7:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Modular Synth Jam, 7:00PM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

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ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Tuesday Early Jam, 8:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Jack Pearson's Comedy Cosmos, 8:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: FLOW, 8:00PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Rhoda & The Risers, 7:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Tacos & Trivia, 7:00PM SOVEREIGN KAVA Open Jam w/ Chris Cooper & Friends (sign up at 6:30PM), 8:00PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Music Circle, 6:45PM Open Mic, 8:45PM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Karaoke w/ Kari - Okay, 9:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR AGB Open Mic Showcase, 6:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesday w/ Woe Rounder & Country DJ, 9:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Crafts After Dark, 5:00PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Swing AVL Dance w/ The Bailsmen & Community Jam, 7:30PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Nefesh Mountain, 7:00PM Tom Rush, w/ Matt Nakoa, 8:30PM

THE MARKET PLACE RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE Rat Alley Cats, 6:30AM

ODDITORIUM Party Foul Drag Circus (drag), 8:00PM

MAD CO BREW HOUSE NC Songsmiths, 5:00PM

THE MOTHLIGHT Daniel Romano w/ Drunken Prayer, 8:30PM

ODDITORIUM Free Open Mic Comedy, 8:00PM

THE SOCIAL LOUNGE The Trivia Factory, 7:30PM

OLE SHAKEY'S Sexy Tunes w/ DJ Franco Nino, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Oscar (Bachatta, Merengue, Salsa), 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Jim Breuer: Live and Let Laugh, 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. FBVMA Mountain Music Jam, 6:00PM SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ Caleb Beissert, 8:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE March HempYEAH Celebrating International Women’s Month w/ music by Rainbeaux, 6:00PM THE CASUAL PINT Disney Music Bingo, 7:00PM THE GOLDEN FLEECE Scots-Baroque Chamber-Folk w/ the Tune Shepherds, 7:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Gutter Demons, 8:00PM THE SOCIAL LOUNGE Live Music Wednesdays, 9:00PM THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM Bob Weir And Wolf Bros, 7:00PM WILD WING CAFE SOUTH Acoustics with Ryan Perry!, 8:30PM

MOVIE REVIEWS

Hosted by the Asheville Movie Guys HHHHH

= MAX RATING

EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com

BRUCE STEELE bcsteele@gmail.com

H PICK OF THE WEEK H

Portrait of a Lady on Fire HHHHH DIRECTOR: Céline Sciamma PLAYERS: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami DRAMA/ROMANCE RATED R Picture the moody period-drama and queer love affair of The Favourite mixed with the tender, heartbreaking tone and sultry cinematography of Call Me By Your Name, and maybe you’ll come halfway close to the beauty that is Portrait of a Lady on Fire. French writer/director Céline Sciamma (Girlhood) has given us a female-focused masterpiece about the creation of art, the emergence of love and the most honest lesbian romance ever depicted on screen. Sciamma’s fifth feature stars an intensely transfixing Noémie Merlant as Marianne, an 18th-century painter commissioned to create a wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) — an act that will be used to ensure her subject’s arranged marriage to a Milanese nobleman. The only problem is that Marianne, contracted by Héloïse’s mother (Valeria Golino), must paint the portrait in secret. The bride-tobe has previously scared off another artist, a man, by refusing to pose for him — a surefire sign of rejection of her daunting fate. She’s also overcome with the grief of losing her sister to a sudden, tragic, possibly suicidal death and has been forced to leave her convent in order to take her sister’s place and effectively secure her family’s financial stability.

As Marianne embarks on her confidential quest — under the guise of a hired companion for Héloïse’s seaside walks — she unknowingly embarks on another journey, that of an unforeseen love affair with her subject. At the same time, she must reconcile the guilt she feels by effectively sealing Héloïse’s fate of nuptial oppression. The narrative that unfolds is not the typical secretruse-turned-angry-betrayal-turnedeventual-love-story but, rather, is so much more intelligent, evocative and compassionate than that. Read the full review at mountainx.com/movies/reviews Starts Feb. 28 at Grail Moviehouse REVIEWED BY KRISTINA GUCKENBERGER KRISTINA.GUCKENBERGER@GMAIL.COM

Brahms: The Boy II HHH

DIRECTOR: William Brent Bell PLAYERS: Katie Holmes, Owain Yeoman, Christopher Convery HORROR RATED PG-13 For an hour and some change, Brahms: The Boy II operates on a respectably high horror level, following a similar blueprint for success established by its creepy-doll series-starter, The Boy (2016). The return of the previous film’s director William Brent Bell and writer Stacey Menear helps ensure that consistency,

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS

Kristina Guckenberger

James Rosario

one rooted in the eponymous porcelain doll that may or may not be possessed, and the psychological torment its “actions” cause the humans unlucky enough to be in its vicinity. Brahms’ new victims are Liza (Katie Holmes) and her son Jude (Christopher Convery, adding to the long cinematic tradition of creepy kids). Their fraught recovery from a home invasion that’s left her with vivid nightmares — often accompanied by sleepwalking and screaming — and him mute, communicating via a sketchpad, smartly injects the familiar premise with fresh tension. Along with patriarch Sean (Owain Yeoman, American Sniper), the family leaves their London flat to seek refuge in the country, but — true to genre form — fail to Google the grisly history of the neighborhood, specifically the Heelshire Mansion, where The Boy took place and in whose guest house they’ve taken residence. After Jude is inexplicably drawn to a spot in the woods, unearths Brahms and starts to emerge from his traumainduced silence — mainly via “conversations” with the doll — the series’ suspenseful charms reemerge in full force. Weird things happen that Jude credits to Brahms, his parents grow confused and question their sanity, and viewers familiar with The Boy await a payoff in line with the revelations gleaned during its big finale. Instead, Bell and Menear abandon their winning formula and opt for eyerolling layers of ho-hum mythology as the best way to set up a third film. The jarring about-face is a stretch within this carefully constructed world, contradicts much of The Boy and comes close to invalidating it.

Melissa Williams

Melissa Myers

Ali McGhee

Rabin, Yaron Zilberman’s Incitement may best be viewed with a Wikipedia page or two open for reference. That’s not to say that a film such as this — one with an intricate historical backstory — can’t stand on its own without prior knowledge of the incidents and individuals involved, but that these facts are compelling to the point that one can’t help but want to know more while watching a truncated version play out on screen. Incitement might not nail its delivery, but it works more than it doesn’t — and, if nothing else, offers a glimpse into the series of leaps in logic that one driven to zealotry must overcome before inflicting such an act of extreme violence. The radicalization of Yigal Amir (Yehuda Nahari Halevi), Rabin’s eventual assassin, doesn’t come as a response to a specific event as it does in most films that tread similar ground, but from what

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Incitement HHHS DIRECTOR: Yaron Zilberman PLAYERS: Yehuda Nahari Halevi, Anat Ravnitzki THRILLER NOT RATED For those unfamiliar with the complicated nuances of Israeli-Palestinian relations or the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak MOUNTAINX.COM

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M OVIE RE V I EW S appears to be a lifelong and family-fed low-key hostility for various Jewish sects, classes and countries of origin. This hostility manifests in Amir as hatred for both the Palestinian settlements that dot the countrysides of Israel and Prime Minister Rabin, the man trying to end the nation’s decadeslong conflict with Palestine at the now famous Oslo Accords. In contrast to many American films about fanaticism, Incitement doesn’t paint Amir as evil, brainwashed, coerced or predatory. Quite the opposite, in fact: He’s an intelligent, well-liked, normal law student whose political activism doesn’t even seem to be considered all that radical by the rest of his community. With just a small amount of logical maneuvering, his views are shared by many and even backed up by Jewish scripture. Read the full review at mountainx.com/movies/reviews Starts Feb. 28 at Grail Moviehouse REVIEWED BY JAMES ROSARIO JAMESROSARIO1977@GMAIL.COM

Leonardo: The Works HHHH

DIRECTOR: Phil Grabsky DOCUMENTARY NOT RATED Art appreciators unable to travel the globe to view Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings and sketchbooks firsthand or consult experts about the pieces’ intricacies and significances are in luck. Director Phil Grabsky has taken the educational vacation for you and whittled down his findings into the single digestible and immensely informative documentary, Leonardo: The Works. Essentially a VIP tour of the world’s great museums and galleries, the film offers a series of crisp, up-close and extended looks at Leonardo’s notable paintings, enhanced by gorgeous choral music, plus insights from art scholars on how, when and why the works came to be, sprinkling in biographical anecdotes to craft a well-rounded, chronological portrait of this extraordinary man. Is it all a bit dry and academic? And perfect PBS background entertainment to spottily engage distracted viewers with occasional wondrous images and relatable buzzwords? Sure, but for folks who are moved by beauty and even minutely interested in Leonardo, the film delivers. Screens at the Fine Arts Theatre on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m., and Feb. 29 at 11 a.m. REVIEWED BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN EARNAUDIN@MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

Olympic Dreams HH DIRECTOR: Jeremy Teicher PLAYERS: Nick Kroll, Alexi Pappas ROMANCE/COMEDY RATED PG-13 Olympic Dreams, the first movie filmed inside an Olympic Village, is vulnerable and sweet — with huge helpings of agonizing and annoying. Directed by Jeremy Teicher (Tracktown), the film was shot at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It’s the story of two adorable dorks — Ezra (Nick Kroll, Loving), a dentist, and Penelope (former Olympic runner Alexi Pappas), a cross-country skier competing in the Games — meeting cute, being awkward and falling in love (to, it must be noted, a horrible soundtrack that pounds so loudly it often smothers the dialogue). Penelope struggles with her sport, her self-esteem and her ability to make friends — all while the movie struggled to make me care about any of it. Too many situations and conversations in Olympic Dreams are the “deep” kind, familiar in college dorm rooms after a few skunky beers and back-to-back repeats of anything by Pink Floyd. Even though Kroll and Pappas, with their expressive eyes and gentle chemistry, are solidly cast, Olympic Dreams is an emotional dud. It has no stakes of any importance — no thrill of victory or agony of defeat. And as earnestly as they tried, I never felt invested in what would become of this sad, boring couple in this sad, boring movie. Now playing at Grail Moviehouse REVIEWED BY MELISSA WILLIAMS

Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band HHHH DIRECTOR: Daniel Roher PLAYERS: Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Dano DOCUMENTARY RATED R Over 40 years after The Last Waltz, Robbie Robertson seemingly gets the last word on The Band’s history and eventual unraveling in Once Were Brothers. The lead guitarist and primary songwriter’s perspective so thoroughly dominates Daniel Roher’s film that it earns its subtitle Robbie Robertson and The Band. And in case there’s any doubt regarding the documentary’s leanings, the post-film credits double down that it’s “inspired by” Robertson’s critically acclaimed 2016 memoir, Testimony.

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Whether you’re on Team Levon Helm (drummer/vocalist) — a camp that often vilifies Robertson due to a longtime feud between the two — or Team Robertson, or somewhere in between, all music fans are bound to enjoy another rock doc on The Band ushered to the screen by Martin Scorsese (this time in executive producer mode). Interviews with musical authorities such as Eric Clapton and Van Morrison lend credibility to Robertson’s claims and the work overall, as do other trustworthy names on the production team, including Ron Howard. Nevertheless, consequential voices and perspectives are omitted — e.g., anyone else who was in The Band — and some questions remain unanswered even after this second cinematic opportunity to get to the “truth” out there about the celebrated ensemble. Despite the film’s somewhat uncomfortable settle-the-score vibe, Once Were Brothers offers value for fans of The Band and novices alike. The documentary fills in many biographical gaps left by the live concert format of The Last Waltz, albeit from a narrow perspective mostly of Robertson, his family and his friends. His viewpoint is still an important take on one of the best groups in American rock ’n’ roll, and his blunt assertions regarding substance abuse — which he claims was the cause of The Band’s demise — present a message that modern musicians would be wise to heed. Starts Feb. 28 at the Fine Arts Theatre REVIEWED BY MELISSA MYERS MELISSA.L.MYERS@GMAIL.COM

The Lodge HHHH DIRECTORS: Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz PLAYERS: Richard Armitage, Riley Keough, Alicia Silverstone HORROR RATED R In an era of very long and meandering feature films, The Lodge could be described as savagely efficient. It wastes no time establishing its dark, relentless tone, opening with a direct hit — a shocking act of violence performed by Laura (Alicia Silverstone), the mother of two young children, who learns that her exhusband is getting remarried. Their children, Aidan (Jaeden Lieberher, Knives Out) and Mia (Lia McHugh, Paramount Network’s “American Woman”), blame their soonto-be-stepmother, Grace (Riley Keough, Logan Lucky), for what’s happened. Several months later, the hodgepodge family — sans Laura — heads to a remote cabin to spend the Christmas holiday. It’s already been decided that Grace will

spend a few days alone getting to know the kids better while their father, Richard (Richard Armitage, The Hobbit), goes back to the city for work – a convenient but perfect setup for the further disintegration we already know is coming. This is a horror film, and it’s directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz, the same team behind the brutal Goodnight Mommy (2014), another excellent movie about a family’s terrible unraveling. If you know these two details, you might think you won’t be surprised by The Lodge, which shifts from desperation to full-on despair (with a side trip through possible insanity) over its run time — but I guarantee you’ll be wrong. This is a frightening, disturbing movie that I’m still thinking about days after seeing it, and it’s doubly refreshing after a dud-filled January. The family units are the first places where things go awry. Soon after their mother’s incident, the grieving kids discover that Grace is the only surviving

STARTING FRIDAY Incitement (NR) HHHS Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band (R) HHHH Portrait of a Lady on Fire (R) HHHHH (Pick of the Week) JUST ANNOUNCED The Invisible Man (R) A modern update of the H.G. Wells novel, starring Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) and written/directed by Leigh Whannell (Insidious: Chapter 3; Upgrade).

CURRENTLY IN THEATERS 1917 (R) HHHHS The Assistant (R) HHS Bad Boys for Life (R) HH Birds of Prey (R) HHH Brahms: The Boy II (PG-13) HHH The Call of the Wild (PG) HHHH Cunningham (PG) HHS Dolittle (PG) HHHS Downhill (R) HHHH Fantastic Fungi (NR) HHHH Fantasy Island (PG-13) H Gretel & Hansel (PG-13) HHH Jojo Rabbit (PG-13) HHHHH Jumanji: The Next Level (PG-13) HHHS Knives Out (PG-13) HHHHH Little Women (PG) HHHHH The Lodge (R) HHHH Olympic Dreams (PG-13) HH Parasite (R) HHHHH The Photograph (PG-13) HHHS Sonic the Hedgehog (PG) HH Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PG-13) HHHHS

member of a Christian doomsday cult — and was chosen by its leader (her own father, played to great, creepy effect by the actress’s actual father, Danny Keough) to carry its message to the world after the other members have all died. Sidenote: They learn this by snooping in their dad’s files because he’s a psychiatrist and Grace was his patient — an ethical violation on which the film does not overtly comment. And while Grace seems to be trying hard to bridge the seemingly infinite gulf between herself and the children, we’re not altogether sure whether to trust her. Despite his growing unease (and our disbelief), Richard leaves the trio at the cabin just as a blizzard begins, driving six hours away for work that he somehow can’t reschedule. The next morning, the family wakes up and discovers all of their stuff is gone, including the food and Grace’s medicine. The power

goes out. The generator fails. Grace’s dog vanishes. A voice starts speaking in the night. The only other house for miles is both abandoned and, somehow, deeply sinister. And the snow keeps falling. The Lodge’s few flaws are mostly plotrelated and distracting, but they’re forgivable. It also takes some cues from other recent landmark horror films, most notably Ari Aster’s Hereditary, as well as older classics, like Roman Polanski’s Repulsion and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, and from true events like the 1997 Heaven’s Gate mass suicide. But despite its numerous influences, the film concocts a formula all its own, and the devastating end result will linger with you long after the credits roll. Read the full review at mountainx.com/movies/reviews REVIEWED BY ALI MCGHEE ALIMCGHEE@GMAIL.COM

SCREEN SCENE by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com and centers on Dydo Horacki, a nonbinary journalist from the Borolian Empire, who “comes to the mountain regions of the Cerracs to report news from the front. As the Empire expects to quietly expand its borders, they will be surprised by resistance on land that was assumed to be uninhabited.” Free to attend. firestorm.coop

NONBINARY SCI-FI: A still from Hron: A Country of Ghosts. Firestorm Books & Coffee hosts the U.S. premiere of the heterotopian science fiction film, which is based on the book by Asheville author Margaret Killjoy. Photo courtesy of Collectif de Hron • Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road, hosts the U.S. premiere of Hron: A Country of Ghosts on Saturday, Feb. 29, at 6 p.m. The hourlong film was made by Collectif de Hron, a multilingual, queer film collective in Montreal, and is based on the anarchist utopian book by Asheville author Margaret Killjoy. The project is described as “a heterotopian science fiction feature”

FILM BLACK HISTORY MONTH MOVIE MATINEE SERIES • FR (2/28), 1-3pm - I Am Not Your Negro, Black History Month film screening. Free. Held at Pack Memorial

Library - Lord Auditorium, 67 Haywood St. 'BOSS: THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN BUSINESS' • TH (2/27), 6-8:30pm - BOSS: The Black Experience in Business, documentary by Stanley Nelson. Free. Held at

• The McDowell Arts Council Association is currently accepting submissions for the 2020 Micropolitan Film Festival. The mission of the event is to showcase the work of filmmakers in Western North Carolina and beyond who live in Micropolitan areas (populations between 10,000 and 50,000) and are producing projects that don’t easily fit into niche genres, categories or competitions. Films may not exceed 15 minutes in length and should focus on small-town life experiences or draw inspiration from filmmakers’ small-town roots. Submissions are being accepted through June 1, and the festival takes place Aug. 14-15 in Marion at the McDowell Arts Council. filmfreeway.com/mff X

Rainbow Community School, 574 Haywood Road

'TAXI'

'HIDDEN RIVERS' • FR (2/28), 7pm - Hidden Rivers, documentary film screening. Free to attend. Held at Bold Rock Hard Cider, 72 School House Road, Mills River

film screening. Free

• FR (2/28), 8-11pm Taxi, by Jafar Panahi, to attend. Held at

heville Movie Guys s A e h t n i o J for the next Movie Night! The evening includes a brief introduction by the Asheville Movie Guys, Bruce C. Steele and Edwin Arnaudin of AshevilleMovies.com, as well as a lively discussion with the audience after the credits.

ONCE WERE BROTHERS: ROBBIE ROBERTSON AND THE BAND Mon., 3/2, 7:20pm • Fine Arts Theatre 36 Biltmore Ave., Asheville

Do you want an email reminder prior to each Asheville Movie Guys night? Send an email with ‘Asheville Movie Guys’ in the subject line to ashevillemovies@gmail.com Xpress readers who say “Levon” at the box office receive a discounted ticket price of $6.50 per person.

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FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): You may sometimes reach a point where you worry that conditions are not exactly right to pursue your dreams or fulfill your holy quest. Does that describe your current situation? If so, I invite you to draw inspiration from Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), who’s regarded as one of history’s foremost novelists. Here’s how one observer described Cervantes during the time he was working on his masterpiece, the novel titled Don Quixote: “shabby, obscure, disreputable, pursued by debts, with only a noisy tenement room to work in.” Cervantes dealt with imperfect conditions just fine.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): From author Don DeLillo’s many literary works, I’ve gathered five quotes to serve as your guideposts in the coming weeks. These observations are all in synchronistic alignment with your current needs. 1. Sometimes a thing that’s hard is hard because you’re doing it wrong. 2. You have to break through the structure of your own stonework habit just to make yourself listen. 3. Something is always happening, even on the quietest days and deep into the night, if you stand a while and look. 4. The world is full of abandoned meanings. In the commonplace, I find unexpected themes and intensities. 5. What we are reluctant to touch often seems the very fabric of our salvation.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “True success is figuring out your life and career so you never have to be around jerks,” says Taurus filmmaker, actor, and author John Waters. I trust that you have been intensely cultivating that kind of success in the last few weeks, Taurus — and that you will climax this wondrous accomplishment with a flourish during the next few weeks. You’re on the verge of achieving a new level of mastery in the art of immersing yourself in environments that bring out the best in you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I remember a time when a cabbage could sell itself just by being a cabbage,” wrote Scorpio author Jean Giraudoux (1882–1944). “Nowadays it’s no good being a cabbage — unless you have an agent and pay him a commission.” He was making the point that for us humans, it’s not enough to simply become good at a skill and express that skill; we need to hire a publicist or marketing wizard or distributor to make sure the world knows about our offerings. Generally, I agree with Giradoux’s assessment. But I think that right now it applies to you only minimally. The coming weeks will be one of those rare times when your interestingness will shine so brightly, it will naturally attract its deserved attention. Your motto, from industrialist Henry J. Kaiser: “When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.”

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): When he was 29 years old, Sagittarian composer Ludwig Beethoven published his String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 4. Most scholars believe that the piece was an assemblage of older material he had created as a young man. A similar approach might work well for you in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. I invite you to consider the possibility of repurposing tricks and ideas that weren’t quite ripe when you first used them. Recycling yourself makes good sense.

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I would love for you to become more powerful, Gemini — not necessarily in the sense of influencing the lives of others, but rather in the sense of managing your own affairs with relaxed confidence and crisp competence. What comes to mind when I urge you to expand your self-command and embolden your ambition? Is there an adventure you could initiate that would bring out more of the swashbuckler in you? CANCER (June 21-July 22): For my Cancerian readers in the Southern Hemisphere, this oracle will be in righteous alignment with the natural flow of the seasons. That’s because February is the hottest, laziest, most spacious time of year in that part of the world — a logical moment to take a lavish break from the daily rhythm and escape on a vacation or pilgrimage designed to provide relaxation and renewal. Which is exactly what I’m advising for all of the earth’s Cancerians, including those in the Northern Hemisphere. So for those of you above the equator, I urge you to consider thinking like those below the equator. If you can’t get away, make a blanket fort in your home and pretend. Or read a book that takes you on an imaginary journey. Or hang out at an exotic sanctuary in your hometown. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo author Walter Scott (1771–1832) was a pioneer in the genre of the historical novel. His stories were set in various eras of the Scottish past. In those pre-telephone and pre-internet days, research was a demanding task. Scott traveled widely to gather tales from keepers of the oral tradition. In accordance with current astrological omens, Leo, I recommend that you draw inspiration from Scott’s old-fashioned approach. Seek out direct contact with the past. Put yourself in the physical presence of storytellers and elders. Get first-hand knowledge about historical events that will inspire your thoughts about the future of your life story. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Over a period of 40 years, the artist Rembrandt (1606–1663) gazed into a mirror as he created more than 90 self-portraits — about 10 percent of his total work. Why? Art scholars don’t have a definitive answer. Some think he did self-portraits because they sold well. Others say that because he worked so slowly, he himself was the only person he could get to model for long periods. Still others believe this was his way of cultivating self-knowledge, equivalent to an author writing an autobiography. In the coming weeks, I highly recommend that you engage in your personal equivalent of extended mirror-gazing. It’s a favorable time to understand yourself better.

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BY ROB BREZSNY

FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Are there parts of your life that seem to undermine other parts of your life? Do you wish there was greater harmony between your heart and your head, between your giving and your taking, between your past and your future? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could infuse your cautiousness with the wildness of your secret self? I bring these questions to your attention, Capricorn, because I suspect you’re primed to address them with a surge of innovative energy. Here’s my prediction: Healing will come as you juxtapose apparent opposites and unite elements that have previously been unconnected. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When he was 19, the young poet Robert Graves joined the British army to fight in World War I. Two years later, the Times of London newspaper reported that he had been killed at the Battle of the Somme in France. But it wasn’t true. Graves was very much alive and continued to be for another 69 years. During that time, he wrote 55 books of poetry, 18 novels and 55 other books. I’m going to be bold and predict that this story can serve as an apt metaphor for your destiny in the coming weeks and months. Some dream or situation or influence that you believed to be gone will in fact have a very long second life filled with interesting developments. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If you’re like most of us, you harbor desires for experiences that might be gratifying in some ways but draining in others. If you’re like most of us, you may on occasion get attached to situations that are mildly interesting but divert you from situations that could be amazingly interesting and enriching. The good news, Pisces, is that you are now in a phase when you have maximum power to wean yourself from these wasteful tendencies. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to identify your two or three most important and exciting longings — and take a sacred oath to devote yourself to them above all other wishes and hopes.

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T H E NEW Y O R K T IM E S C R O S S W O R D P UZ Z L E

ACROSS

5 Tears

1 Kind of wine drinker who might remark “I’m getting hints of unripened banana”

9 Tore 14 Biblical shepherd 15 Lovefest, literally

16 Send to cloud nine 17 Like calypso music 19 Atoll material 20 It’s a gas

edited by Will Shortz 21 Porcelain 23 SS ___, onetime flagship of the White Star Line 27 Philly Ivy 29 Actress Meriwether 30 Kind of salad with tomatoes, eggs, olives and anchovies 32 It’s often left on the table 34 Second Monopoly avenue 36 “Grody!” 37 Put on 38 Actress Graff of “Mr. Belvedere” 39 Bearded beast 40 Stain 41 Having everything in its proper place 42 Language akin to Thai 43 Spanish queens 44 Hosp. locales 45 Prince of Narnia 47 Art nouveau? 48 Monsieur, across the Pyrenees

puzzle by Alex Eaton-Salners 50 Criticizes pettily 52 Part of a crystal radio kit 54 Give off 55 Hugo ___, longtime Supreme Court justice 57 Result of connecting the circled letters in a certain way, in a punny manner of speaking 62 Woodworker’s shaper 63 Halley’s comet, to William the Conqueror 64 Poet ___ St. Vincent Millay 65 Suit material for Mr. Toad 66 Class 67 Berth place

DOWN

1 Egg pouch 2 Hornets are in it, in brief 3 Anthem contraction 4 Cousins of crepes

No. 0122

5 Stiff and mechanical 6 Promoting peace 7 ___ Tour 8 Adjust to match, informally 9 Contents of many an index card 10 Like soliloquy deliverers, typically 11 Moving targets for waves 12 Third Greek vowel 13 Dover’s home: Abbr. 18 ___ Babies (bygone fad) 22 Ear covering 23 Moby Dick, for one 24 Some casino personnel 25 Launch time 26 Arcade fixtures 28 Horseshoe Falls setting 31 Hosp. locale 33 Radio shortcut 35 Gunpowder alternative, for short

37 Super Mario Galaxy console 39 Terrific time, in slang 40 Spare part, perhaps 42 Rendered pork fat 43 Clothing 45 Altered dishonestly 46 “The nerve!” 49 Nook

51 And the following: Abbr. 53 Those, in Segovia 55 Diner order that often comes with a toothpick 56 Bar code? 58 Pop subgenre 59 Web address ender 60 Santa ___ winds 61 Perhaps

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE

Kids Issues

publish March 11th & 18th advertise@mountainx.com

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FEB. 26 - MARCH 3, 2020

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